Murtagh's Journey
by RogueWriter1990
Summary: Just when Murtagh had lost hope, a strange girl comes and offers him a chance at a new life. A better life, in another world. Alternate ending with several OCs. Takes place in the middle of Brisinger after Murtagh faces Eragon.
1. Prologue: Glimmer of Hope

Prologue: Glimmer of Hope

Storm clouds brew overhead, the downpour of rain drenching the city below. Traffic died down hours ago, leaving the streets empty-save for a lone figure standing under the minimal shade of a lamp post. Selena shifts her arms, trying to keep dry. It was just her luck that the gods would choose tonight to release this downpour. It has to be tonight or wait another month. Selena was done waiting. She had to know if her sons were safe.

It had taken years to find a source of magic. Then months to convince the girl who had it to help. But, at last, Selena had her. So many things could go wrong, and Selena prepared her the best she could, but in the end, the girl would be alone in a world vastly different then her own.

The screeching of tires signaled the arrival of a car. Selena looks up as the mechanical machine, one of the many strange contraptions she's gotten used to, but didn't fully trust. The back door pops open and Selena watches as the girl dismisses her driver. A large backpack is strapped to the girl's back and a long trench coat covers the rest of her. The girl slams the car door shut and it pulls away, leaving the two women alone on the street corner.

"Figures it would rain," the girl says, her voice strained. Voicing Selena's previous thoughts. Selene knows the girl is scared, though if that would help her later, Selena wouldn't know.

"Do you have everything?" Selena asks, hand already extended. The girl sighs and unclasps a necklace from around her neck. The small black orb glowed to life in Selena's presence. Biting her lip, Selena resists the urge to cry. This will work-that she knew.

"Woah, it still spooks me." the girl breathes, her eyes glued to the necklace. Her trance is broken when Selena takes the necklace.

"Remember everything I told you?" Selena asks as she mentally prepares. The girl sighs and nods.

"Memorized and categorized."

"Perfect." Selena smiles at the girl and begins the spell.


	2. Chapter 1: Stranger Danger

Chapter 1: Stranger Danger

"Stenr reisa." Sweat gathers at Murtagh's brow as he tries to focus.

"This is pathetic," the shrill whine interrupts Murtagh, but he ignores it. Closing his eyes, he renews his efforts. The pull of the magic starts to wear him. He opens one eye and sighs when he notices the small rock barely hovering in his left hand.

He growls in frustration and hurls the infuriating rock across the clearing. He watches as it disappears into the tree line, silently hoping never to see another pebble again.

Rising from his seat on the gravelly ground, Murtagh smacks his tunic to free himself from the layer of dust coating him.

"The fates have it out for you." Murtagh looks to his right and Eesha smirks at him from her perch in a tree. Her yellow hair, which had looked neat and tidy this morning, is a disheveled mess. Bits of hair fall around her face and her long braid has come undone. Murtagh glares at his so called teacher as she jumps off the branch that she'd occupied for the better part of the day. She lands with a slight stumble but quickly steadies herself. "Aren't riders supposed to be gifted magicians?"

A piercing laugh bursts from her.

"Your commentary isn't helping," Murtagh ground out. His words seem to perk the aging witch. She smiles, the lines in her face become more pronounced. The cold look in her eye almost makes Murtagh regret talking back—almost.

Eesha marches over until they are toe to toe. She's as tall as Murtagh, making it easy for her to meet his eye.

"I see you're an expert," she hisses, but Murtagh doesn't back down. Anger flashes in her eyes at his defiance. Her hand reaches out and trails a path down Murtagh's cheek. He pulls back, disgusted by her touch.

A sharp pain explodes inside his mind. An ice-cold dagger stabs into his mental defenses. Murtagh quickly erects extra fortification, but Eesha keeps pushing through them. He struggles to maintain his ground as Eesha keeps coming at him.

Changing tactics, he tosses memories to distract her. Murtagh senses Eesha's horror as she's faced with some of his worst experiences. Her distraction gives him enough time to rebuild his mental wall and he checks it carefully for holes. Eesha tries to come at him again, but Murtagh clears his mind of everything but one thought. He grins as Eesha tries to find a foothold. She stalks around his wall, lashing out at random. Eventually, she realizes it's pointless and retreats.

Murtagh smiles when he notices the sweat on Eesha's face. Something hits Murtagh across the face. Biting back a moan, he spots the source of his pain. A pebble floats in Eesha's hand, she taunts him with his inability.

"You have until sundown to improve, _rider._ " She spits the title like an insult.

"You will not make me look bad in front of the king," Eesha states grimly, the pebble now moving in the spaces between her extended fingers. Huffing, Eesha pivots and saunters away, taking the damned pebble with her.

Murtagh waits until she's out of sight, and then another ten minutes to be safe. Once he's sure she's gone, he stumbles over to the small river on his left. The growing shadows tell him it won't be long til sundown.

The gurgling stream of water couldn't be deeper than three feet, but luckily swimming wasn't on Murtagh's mind.

He bends over and takes a drink from the cool stream. The first drink he's had since Eesha woke him at dawn. Yet another of her teaching methods. Starvation was supposed to make him better, but his lack of improvement says otherwise.

Once he's satisfied, Murtagh splashes water over his face and neck in an attempt to clear his head. The water doesn't have the effect Murtagh needs, and as he leans back on his legs, his thoughts drift to Thorn. Two days. That's how long it's been since he saw his dragon. His other half. His soulmate. He already feels restless and hollow. The only way to see him was to improve. At least, that's what Galbatorix said after Murtagh failed again to capture his brother. His self-righteous brother that dared dangle hope in front of him with no intent of actually helping.

 _Just another sick joke._

The fates sure had a twisted sense of humor. He laughs hoarsely and rises. The chances of him actually improving are slim, but Thorn depends on him. Murtagh won't let him down. Murtagh stretches out his muscles and turns around just in time to see a girl flying at him.

The next thing Murtagh knew he was soaked up to his waist, sitting in the river.

"Damn it!" Looking up he sees a girl draped over the river bank, her arms trailing in the river. Judging from the water dripping down her face Murtagh guesses her head had also fallen in the river. Short black hair is plastered to her tan face and her face is contorted in frustration.

The girl pushes herself up and doesn't even seem aware of his presence. Standing up, she flings her arms around, the sleeves of her trench coat soaking wet. Murtagh stands up and wades to the bank of the river, giving the girl a wide berth.

The girl continues to ignore him, instead attempting to wring out her sleeves and grunting at the lack of success. Murtagh starts coming up with possible reasons she would be here.

This stretch of woods was private, owned by Eesha and guarded to keep any intruders out.

 _How did she sneak up on me?_ He would've sensed her, but she seemed to materialize from the air. _Is this another test of my loyalty? No. Galbatorix had no need of those now that he owns me. So what?_

Murtagh moans internally, really wishing he could dry himself with magic. Wet clothes were not a personal preference, but to dry his clothes quickly he'd have to strip in front of this strange girl - which wasn't ideal. He watched the girl, who had finally stopped attempting to dry her soaked coat. She was short, barely reaching his shoulders and had a large pack strapped to her back. _A child traveling alone?_

But that doesn't explain how she ended up here. Years in court taught him never to assume an opponent was weak because of their stature. So despite this girl's underwhelming appearance, Murtagh prepares himself for an attack.

 _This girl could be dangerous._

As if hearing his thoughts the girl finally decided to acknowledge his presence.

"Stare much?" she asks, raising her eyebrows. Murtagh frowns.

"You're on private property. You should leave before the owner finds you. Eesha doesn't take well to trespassers." Actually, Eesha doesn't take to people. Murtagh may not trust this stranger, but he didn't wish Eesha's attention on anyone. The girl doesn't seem to hear any of Murtagh's words.

"Are you Murtagh?" she asks, a smile creeping on her face.

 _Great, another fan._ Ever since Galbatorix announced Murtagh as a dragon rider people had swarmed to him. Much more annoying when the few people who had known he was Morzan's son bothering him growing up. People thinking they could use him for their own selfish reasons. Though the people who knew the truth of his heritage was a short list.

"You're mistaken," he says. He walks past her and returns to the clearing. Whatever happened to her isn't his concern, he has to focus on getting better with magic. Thorn is at stake and it would take more than a child to distract him. His shoes stick, turning the dirt to mud wherever he steps.

"No, I'm not," the girl insists and he hears her footsteps follow close behind him. "I need to talk to you."

"Can't talk. Busy." He keeps his tone curt, hoping she'll take the hint.

"This can't wait." She doesn't. Murtagh ignores her, bending over to grab a random rock from the ground.

"It's important," the girl yammers on. Murtagh closes his eyes and tries to clear his head. "I can help you."

Murtagh blocks her out and focuses on finding the magic inside of him. The silence stretches out and Murtagh hopes the girl is gone.

"Are you doing magic?" she asks, her voice closer and somewhat softer. Murtagh refuses to lose his concentration.

"Stenr reisa," he mutters quietly. The normal sapping of energy happens and Murtagh feels the rock lift from his palm. He opens his eyes and smirks. The pebble is hovering six inches from his palm. _Finally._

A flash of light spooks him, breaking the spell. The rock falls back into his hand. Whirling around, he spots the girl standing a few feet next to him. A sheepish look on her face.

"Sorry about the flash. Default."

She shrugs and Murtagh notices a strange rectangular device in her hand.

"What do you want?" he asks, breathing through his nose in an attempt to stay calm. The girl smiles and walks towards him, tucking her strange device into her pocket.

"For you to listen. I'm here to help you. Your mother sent me. She-"

Murtagh cuts her off before she can get much farther with her lie. "My mother's dead. Nice try."

He turns and walks away. Maybe he can lose her in the forest.

"Light in the darkness!" the girl shouts.

Murtagh freezes. The blood in his veins grows cold. Turning around, he glares at the girl, who shifts under his gaze. "Where did you hear that?"

"You know where. Selena sent me to find you," the girl chokes out. Her voice steady, but her face uncertain.

"My mother is dead. Whatever game you're playing won't work," he warns before disappearing into the trees.

Murtagh practically stomps through the forest, not caring if he disturbs the local wildlife. Fury radiates through him as he puts distance between him and the clearing.

 _Why are you so upset?_ He asks himself.

 _You know why._ The hope of one day being free from Galbatorix was a nice dream, but would never happen.

But this? The girl - whoever she was - dangled his mother in front of him, like he would believe she was alive after all these years. His mother is long dead.

 _How did she know that phrase?_ the nagging voice of reason in him asks. No one knows that except him and his mother.

Thorn knows, as does Galbatorix. They've both seen all his memories.

 _But how would Galbatorix benefit by telling others?_

A memory resurfaces of when Galbatorix broke his mental barriers and took everything from him. The rush of pain, the intrusion on the one place he was supposed to be safe. The mad king was not gentle, he crashed through all of Murtagh's memories, seemed to savor the pain inflicted on him as a child. It was the most horrifying experience Murtagh has ever felt and he quickly reburied the memory.

The rush of emotions left Murtagh feeling weak, he leans against a tree for support. Taking deep breaths to steady himself. Shaking his head to get rid of old pains, Murtagh realizes someone is following him. Ducking behind a tree he waits. Seconds pass until a person walks past. Murtagh grabs them and shoves them against the tree, crushing their throat with his arm.

The girl stares back at him, brown eyes wide.

"Stop following me," he growls, trying to intimidate her. It seems to succeed, the girl's eyes filling with fear as she claws at his arm. He presses down just enough to hurt, but not kill.

"Can - help - you," she chokes out. Rage fills him and Murtagh jams his arm deeper into her neck. The girl coughs and brings her knee up, hitting Murtagh in between the legs.

It wasn't the strongest kick, but it was enough to get Murtagh to drop her. Pain echoes through his stomach and he clutches the tree to keep himself from bending over. She falls and crawls away, while Murtagh moans.

"What is wrong with you? I'm trying to help!" the girl rasps. Murtagh can hear her collapse to the ground. He breaths through the pain and turns his back to the tree, keeping the girl in sight. But the pain makes it hard for him to stay upright. He looks up in time to see her reach into her coat. Murtagh tenses and she pauses before slowly pulling out a piece of paper. "Just read this, moron."

She tosses it his general direction, but it simply flutters to the ground in front of her. Sighing the girl takes a shuddering breath before flipping herself to her back.

Murtagh watches her for several minutes, waiting for her to strike. The rise and fall of her chest grow steady and his pain now significantly less he reaches out and snatches the paper before retreating back to his tree. Leaning against it, he keeps an eye on the girl lying on the ground.

Examining the paper he notices it's odd shade and crisp edges. A lump of red wax seals it and Murtagh recognizes the seal. It's from a ring that used to belong to his father. Cracking the wax, Murtagh opens the letter and reads it. Tears well in Murtagh's eyes as he scans the paper's content.

It takes him a minute to finish it and when he does, he blinks and scrubs the tears away with his sleeve. Looking up, he realizes the girl is gone. He frantically scans the area, before noticing her sitting on the ground beside him. She looks up at him, her face sober.

"Believe me now?" she asks. Murtagh nods.

"There's just one problem," he says, tucking the letter inside his tunic. The girl sighs.

"Now what?" she asks, her voice exasperated.

"I can't perform the spell," he says, his voice low.

"Why not? Learn to love your chains?" she snaps at him, pushing herself to her feet and raising her eyebrows. Murtagh notices bits of twigs sticking to her hair and clothes.

"Far from it," he growls, hating even the suggestion that he would want to live as he does now.

"Then what?" the girl demands. She glares at him and pokes him in the chest. "I took a big chance coming here and now you won't even try?"

Murtagh knocks her hand away from him and meets her stare. "I don't expect you to understand."

"Try me," she counters. Murtagh sighs and shakes his head.

"Fine, go back to your master," the girl spits and walks away. Murtagh reaches out and grabs her wrist.

"Wait."

The girl looks at him, her lips pressed together anger in her eyes.

"That spell is really advanced and . . ." Murtagh pauses, slightly embarrassed. "I'm not sure I _can_ cast it."

The girl laughs at him. Her shoulders shake and she can't keep the stupid grin off her face. Murtagh drops her wrist, irritated.

 _How dare she laugh at me?_ Murtagh turns around, embarrassed by his own confession. He was supposed to be a rider, son of the two most powerful magicians in history. Magic should come easily to him, but it just didn't and that rubbed Murtagh the wrong way. He had always learned as much as he could, couldn't get enough knowledge and was practically fluent in the ancient language. Which is how he knows that the spell his mother instructed to perform is risky at best, fatal at worst. _Do you have a choice?_

Eventually, the girl stops laughing. Murtagh tenses and the sound of her shoes on the soft floor signal her movement. Whirling around, Murtagh prepares himself for an attack. What he finds instead is the last thing he expected. Concern. The mirth in her eyes is gone. Replaced with worry. Not an emotion Murtagh is used to. At least, not used to other people feeling it for him.

"But you're supposed to be the most powerful magician in Alagaesia! After Galbatorix."

The girl seems genuinely shocked, which just irritates Murtagh further.

"Well I'm not," he says shortly.

A smirk tugs at the girl's lips and she raises her hands in defense.

"Sorry for assuming," she snickers and Murtagh decides that he does not like this girl. "Wait, then how is any of this gonna work? It all hinges on you casting the spell." She looks at him expectantly.

"That's not my fault!" he says. The girl laughs again, but it's hollow.

"Great, so I'm screwed." The girl runs her hand through her hair.

"Think you could point me in the direction of the Varden? Maybe Eragon can help send me home. You know since our whole plan is ruined. Two months of planning all down the drain and now I'm stuck in this medieval mess. But hey, at least you tried," she drawls at him, an insincere smile on her face.

Murtagh frowns at her bad joke and sarcastic tone. "I'm still struggling with basic magic." he tries to explain.

"You won't know unless you try," she reasons.

"I don't have to try, I can barely lift a damn pebble!" he roars, but the girl stands her ground. Her eyes determined and Murtagh sensed she didn't like things not going her way.

"I risked a lot coming here. Left my home, my family. They need me, now you're saying I can never see them again because you won't even try?" she argues, brows raised.

Murtagh tries to argue against her, but his stance was already flawed. He could also relate to having to look out for someone. The two lock eyes, until Murtagh, relents. Sighing, he nods. "Fine, but this is going to take something from both of us."

"I know what I signed up for," she states, a cocky smile on her face.

Murtagh almost smiles when a loud crack echoes through the forest.

"Eesha."

Looking up, he sees the sky has turned a light purple.

 _Sundown. Damn it._

"Who?" the girl asks. Murtagh feels like punching himself. How could he not have noticed the time?

"My mentor. We have to hurry."

The girl nods and Murtagh grabs her wrist and leads her deeper into the forest.

He runs as fast as he can with the girl stumbling behind him. Distance is their only ally. If Eesha finds him, the girl will die and he will be tortured for who knows how long. They've only been running a few minutes when the girl starts to slow down.

"Come on," he snaps. The girl is panting, and even as he turns, she stumbles over a tree root and falls, forcing him to stop.

"One . . . second," she pants face down in the dirt. Murtagh watches the trees around them looking for any trace of pursuit. Shifting his stance, Murtagh grows anxious. The girl starts to stand, but she seems dizzy and stumbles right into Murtagh. She leans against his arm and moans.

 _Standing here won't do any good._

With a grunt, Murtagh grabs the girl and tosses her over his shoulder. An eep is all the reaction he gets as he resumes running, taking care to watch for any fallen branches or rocks. The girl's wet sleeves smack his lower back as he increases his speed. He quietly thanks the gods for his heightened senses as he jumps over a fallen log that he wouldn't have noticed in the quickly lengthening shadows.

By the time Murtagh spots the edge the forest, it's officially dark. He skids to a stop and takes a slightly shaky breath as he waits for his heart to slow down. The girl hadn't said a word since he picked her up, and Murtagh realizes he doesn't even know her name. Just that she is the only one who can help him. At least that's what his mother's letter made it sound like.

He pauses at the edge of the forest, still safely inside the shade of the trees. The Toark River shimmers in the distance, about a league away. Sweat dampens his shirt and he's exhausted, but crossing the river is the best way to escape Eesha and the first step towards finding Thorn.

"Are we stopping?" the girl asks from her spot on his shoulder. Murtagh shifts to carefully put her down, "Gently!" she urges, but his arm is more tired than he thought, and the girl slips and falls ungracefully on the ground. She huffs and rubs her backside.

"Seriously?"

Murtagh ignores her and tries to step out of the forest, but finds he can't, something almost like an invisible wall stops him. He watches as the girl pulls herself up and walks past him. She takes a deep breath and takes in the wide plain. After a second she turns around and looks curiously at him.

"Waiting for an invitation?" she asks sarcastically, her hands on her waist.

"I can't leave," he informs her, pushing against the invisible force field. Demonstrating his predicament.

Murtagh grunts as he pushes hard against the force keeping him in the forest. Sighing the girl stands and walks over to him. Raising her hand she slowly reaches out to where his hand is pressed against the invisible wall. Her hand passes through the wall and touches his without any resistance. Frowning the girl grabs Murtagh's wrist and tries to pull him to her. She ends up smashing Murtagh's hand against the invisible wall, causing him to grunt in pain, with still no effect on her.

"This makes no sense," she mumbles as Murtagh cradles his stinging hand. Murtagh racks his brain, trying to think of how this is happening. Realization hits him and he feels a fool for the second time today.

"I'm bound," he says. "Galbatorix told me not to leave this forest without Eesha."

"Wouldn't you remember that?" the girl asks. Murtagh scowls openly at her.

"I've been a bit preoccupied today."

"Well, whoop di doo. That settles it. You need to do the spell, now." the girl tells him. Murtagh sees the logic to her plan and nods.

"Alright, come here," he out the letter, he quickly looks over the spell. He carefully replaces it and turns to face the girl, who's now on his side of the invisible wall. They stand between two large trees and Murtagh moves closer to her until they stand toe to toe. Looking down at her he notices purple bruising around her neck and guilt trickles into his mind. Pushing it away he concentrates on the spell. "Did my mother explain-"

Murtagh's cut off when the girl takes his hands and places them on her either side of her head so he's almost holding it. She then reaches up and copies his stance, her much smaller hands on either side of his head barely brushing against his hair. Looking up at him, a serious look on her face Murtagh is caught off guard by how mature she seems in that moment. More mature then he's seen her so far.

"Ready?" she asks softly.

Murtagh clears his throat and reaches inside him for the well of magic. Hoping that this will work he whispers to the wind. "Gath alfrs lif eom eka."

A heavy weight presses down on Murtagh's chest and then moves to his head. It feels like someone is tearing down his mental walls. His first instinct is to fight it and flashes of when Galbatorix ravaged his mind overwhelm him, but after a few moments, Murtagh relaxes and lets the presence in. A searing pain engulfs him and everything goes white.


	3. Chapter 2: Alex

Chapter 2: Alex

The first thing Murtagh sees are a million twinkling stars against a dark purple sky and, for a moment he just watches them, feeling lighter than he's felt in a long time. The reason for that comes back to him in a rush and he sits up.

Trees surround him, and the darkness of the forest is at his back. Less than ten feet away lies the plains. Thorn was out on those plains, he knew it in his gut, and he wouldn't stop until they were together again.

Turning to his left, he sees the girl lying on the ground beside him. He can only make her out because of his enhanced sight. She's watching the stars. His mind nags that he should get moving, but he can't bear to break the fragile sense of peace. It's been so long and he wants it to last for a moment longer. His thoughts flash to the girl beside him. They're not touching, but she's close enough for him to feel the heat from her body. He takes this chance to really look at her, curious about this girl from another world.

 _Another world._ It's a hard pill to swallow, that's for sure. If the letter is real though, not only will he be free from Galbatorix, but he will have a chance to start over. Maybe have a real life—one where he wouldn't have to look over his shoulder, one with his mother. It sounds too good to be true, but he's not going to take the chance that it is. After all, if this is all a hoax, the worst thing that can happen is that he'll go back to serving Galbatorix.

There will be pain, probably more than he can imagine, but the chance to be free is too sweet to pass up. Murtagh's mind turns back to the girl next to him. She silently watches the sky, not even acknowledging him.

She's short and her hair is shorter than his, falling just below her jaw. He couldn't tell its exact color in the darkness, though it was some shade of brown—not that he was paying much attention to her hair at the time. Her skin is brown and he wonders if it's a tan. It's hard to make out her eyes at this angle, though her nose is flat with little to no bridge—something Murtagh had never seen before. He briefly wonders if she belongs to the Wandering Tribes.

In general, Murtagh hates being saved, he's more than capable of taking care of himself and his pride doesn't like admitting that he occasionally needs help—even if people offer. He would've gladly accepted help from Eragon. He mentioned the possibility of being free from Galbatorix less than three days ago. His solution was pointless though. If this girl can be trusted, he might have a chance.

"The stars here are different," the girl says softly, pulling Murtagh's mind out of his thoughts. Knowing his mind needs to be in the presence he puts aside thoughts of his brother. He focuses on her. She doesn't look at him, staring intently at the heavens.

"Are they?" he asks rhetorically, turning his gaze upwards.

He senses the girl move. Murtagh looks down and they lock eyes. He notices that her eyes are a bit smaller than most, but her lashes are dark and frames them perfectly.

A twig snaps in the distance and Murtagh blinks, remembering where they are. The peace broken, he stands and scans the area.

They're sitting on the edge of the forest, but they're not out of Eesha's territory. She is nowhere to be seen, but the idea of staying in the forest makes him uneasy. Peering into the darkness of the forest he spots a flash of movement. It's gone before he can recognize it, but it's enough to get him moving. He walks up to the treeline, pausing where he couldn't cross earlier.

"Did it work?" he asks, his jaw tight. His foot edges forward, but he's hesitant to take that step.

The girl moves behind him, but Murtagh doesn't turn around. He feels her stand behind him and she whispers in his ear,"Let's find out."

He's pushed and Murtagh stumbles forward, nearly falling on his face. Whirling around, the girl grins at him, her hands on her waist. It takes him a minute to realize where he is.

"Looks like it did." She beams, as she steps forward and joins him on the plains.

She stops a few feet away, a self satisfied smile on her petite face. Murtagh turns around and takes it all in. Leagues of land stretch out to the horizon. The Toark river shimmers in the distance weaving it's way west to Thorn _._

Murtagh doesn't even realize he's smiling until a flash of light stuns him. Blinking, he finds the girl standing in front of him, holding out the same strange device from earlier.

"What is that?" He inquires, truly curious while taking a step forward.

The girl dances back and shakes her head before tucking it somewhere behind her back. "Later. We'd better get moving. Don't want your Eesha catching us." her voice is playful, but he's reminded of the gravity of his situation.

Murtagh nods, noticing for the first time that the girl's coat is gone. Instead she wears a pair of blue pants and the shortest tunic he's ever seen. He also notes that her shoes are stranger still, the design more complicated than his and laces dyed purple.

The girl runs past him and disappears into the forest. He's about to call out to her when she emerges with a large pack strapped to her back.

 _Where did that come from?_ Murtagh wonders and tries to remember if she had it when they first met.

She smirks at him and joins Murtagh on the other side of the treeline. The girl notices how he's staring.

"Stare much?" Her tone light hearted, as she repeats the first thing she said to him. Ignoring her question, he asks his own.

"I never got your name, though you seem to know mine."

The girl rolls her eyes, still smirking and holds out her right hand. "I'm Alex."

Murtagh stares at her for a second, raising his eyebrows in question. Alex laughs at him and steps closer, taking his right hand and placing it in hers. Murtagh blinks and comes out of his shock while he shakes her hand, still confused by her behavior. All the women he's ever met never offered their hand. It just wasn't done. Alex holds his gaze for a moment and something in her eyes intrigues him. Throwing aside thoughts of the girl's questionable manners he takes his hand back and clears his throat.

"Ready to go, Alex?" He purposefully uses her name, but doesn't wait for her.

Pivoting, he quickly guages their position from the stars and charts a path in his mind. There was one perk of traveling at night—it was harder to track someone. He starts due west, the Toark river a faint glimmer in the distance. Murtagh calculates it being about two leagues away and quickens his pace, determined to reach it before morning.

In spite of the ache from being away from Thorn, Murtagh decides to enjoy himself. Taking a deep breath, Murtagh smiles to himself as he walks. He hears Alex struggling to catch up and wonders what side effects the spell could have. A spell like this has never been attempted before as far as he knew. He wonders if the girl knew this.

 _What does she have to gain?_

The girl herself finally catches up and falls in step beside him. She smiles and nods at him, though Murtagh notices she takes two steps to his one. He considers slowing, but is reminded of the urgency with which they must reach the river. The girl will just have to manage.

He may be free of the oaths Galbatorix placed on him, but Eesha will soon figure out that he left the forest and then she would hunt him down. She may not be the best tracker, but it wouldn't be hard with magic. Murtagh hopes to have Thorn back by then. Together it would be easier to kill her.

Alex gasps as she stumbles, probably having trouble seeing in the dark. Murtagh turns to look at her, her oversized pack bounces as she struggles to keep up with his brisk pace. He slows just enough so she's no longer jogging, but no more.

Even the threat of Eesha and the odd girl he's now stuck with isn't enough to dampen his mood though. His mind still reels from the revelation that his mother is still alive. It was almost unbelievable, but what from he heard she was very smart.

 _Is smart._ He reminds himself, with a smirk.

They walk in silence for a time. He keeps an eye on the stars to make sure they're heading in the right direction. The river is closer, but it's taking much longer than Murtagh would like. He glances at the girl, who struggles to keep up with him.

"So where we heading?" the girl—Alex—inquires, smiling innocently.

"To get Thorn," he says briskly.

"Where is he?" Curiosity fills her voice.

"Somewhere dangerous." Murtagh hopes she'll stop talking. His good mood is quickly receding.

"Why aren't you with him?" she chirps.

"Alright." Murtagh stops and the girl stumbles. Reaching out, he steadies her and turns her to face him. He glares at her, even as she looks up at him as innocent as a newborn babe. "That's enough talking. We have a lot of ground to cover and we'll cover it faster if you stop talking."

His voice is firm, leaving no room for argument.

"Fine." Alex glares at him, her face sullen and she pouts.

 _She really is a child._

Murtagh suppresses a sigh, focusing on his destination.

Just when he thought he'd be able to travel in silence the girl speaks again.

"So...what's your favorite color?"

Murtagh groans and moves faster. He continues to walk, hoping that the girl will get the message. He doesn't want to talk, it was distracting him from making a plan to rescue Thorn.

He starts working out just that when something crashes into him and he's knocked to his face. The air is pushed from his lungs and he gasps. He pushes himself up, shifting the weight and finds Alex sitting on the ground glaring at him.

"Why!" he demands, his temper rising.

"Maybe because you're being a jerk." Alex stands up and sways. "I wasn't expecting a welcome wagon or anything, but you could be-" She starts coughing and wheezing. The sound is dry and she convulses before collapsing on the ground.

Murtagh rushes and tries to figure out how to help. Alex manages to swat his hand away and she trembles as her limbs still. After a few moments she pulls off her pack and digs through it, pulling out a strange looking canteen. She swigs from it, spitting half of it out when she coughs again. Murtagh waits for her to stop and notices the bruises around Alex's neck. Guilt creeps from the edge of his mind and he sighs.

Alex pushes herself up and sits on her legs, her head bowed as she breathes deeply. Murtagh bites on the inside of his cheek, a nervous tick he's never been able to break. Knowing he should make the first move, he puts his pride aside and looks at the girl who saved him.

"I'm sorry," he whispers. Apologizing is not something he does. But if Murtagh wanted Alex to help him, being a little courteous was the least he could do.

The girl tilts her head up and looks at him, her eyes guarded. "I wondered what meeting you would be like. This certainly was not how I imagined it."

She laughs to herself, a tear sitting in the corner of her eye. She smiles at him and leans back, stretching her back while doing so.

"Sorry for jumping you, even if you did deserve it." she says, her voice slightly strained.

Murtagh smirks and nods. A loud growl comes from his stomach. Alex tries to stifle her laugh, but she can't help the wide grin stretching her face.

 _Such a child,_ Murtagh decides, irritated with her and he pushes himself up. Alex reaches out and grabs his arm.

"Come on, sit down."

He narrows his eyes and yanks back his arm. Alex holds her hands up in defense and smirks at him.

"Don't pout," Alex teases him while digging through her pack. She tosses several items to the ground, occasionally shaking a container only to drop it.

"What are you doing?" He asks, exasperated. The pain in his stomach just reminding him of why they _need_ to move. Her entire pack is nearly emptied and strange boxes make up a majority of her things.

"Helping you," she answers calmly, proudly holding up a clear box with some sort of food inside. "My emergency stash," Alex explains, as she pops open the lid-which is also clear. A sweet scent fills the air and Murtagh's stomach growls in anticipation.

Alex pats the ground beside her and Murtagh reluctantly joins her. Sitting across from her, Alex hands him three of the cookies. Small brown dots peek out of them and Murtagh doesn't recognize them. Doubt gnaws at his stomach and despite being hungry he offers the cookies back.

"I'm fine," he insists, not trusting the strange food.

Alex frowns and shoves the cookies back at him. "They're good and you obviously need to eat."

Murtagh cautiously eyes the food. They could be harmless, but he knew of many poisons that smelled good before they leaving the victim screaming as he died. The chances of the girl poisoning him was slim, she had done nothing but help him so far and had no reason he could think of to hurt him.

Murtagh just doesn't trust people though, and while this girl seems to be physically harmless, he knows nothing about her.

 _How did she know about Thorn?_ She might know about his father. _Does she know about Eragon?_ He wonders, his thoughts totally off track. She had mentioned him and obviously knew who the Varden are.

Murtagh eyes her warily, this could be part of an elaborate plan of Galbatorix's making.

Alex seems to pick up on his train of thought and scowls at him. She snatches a cookie from him and takes a large bite. Murtagh watches intently as Alex chews, she glares at him all the while.

"Still don't trust me?" she chokes out, coughing a bit. She raises her eyebrows, daring him to eat. Feeling upstaged Murtagh glares at her and snatches back what's left of the cookie and pops it in his mouth. Smirking at the damned girl.

The cookie are quite delicious, something Murtagh's reluctant to admit. He finishes it quickly and craves more. It had been nearly a whole day since his last meal, so it's not a surprise. Looking up he is about to ask for more and finds Alex holding the box of cookies open for him. She smiles smugly and Murtagh finds it irritating, but takes a handful anyway.

As he eats, Alex straps her pack on. Now she's ready to walk, figures. "Coming?" A friendly smile on her face. He stands up and nods to her as they resume their journey, taking it slow.

The cookies are soft with a little bite and Murtagh pops one after another into his mouth. His stomach reacts positively to finally being fed and Murtagh blinks as a fog lifts from his mind, helping him work up a plan on how to save Thorn and making him realize how badly he treated Alex. He berates himself and looks to the girl, hoping she doesn't hate him.

"You're welcome," Alex pants, shifting the strap of her pack. "I must have missed your thanks, but I'm sure it was intended."

She smiles teasingly, despite the sweat coating her brow. Murtagh can't decide if he likes her constant smiles, but nods.

"It was," he teases. Alex rolls her eyes at his response. He nearly laughs at her when he notices how she keeps adjusting her pack. He stops so suddenly that Alex passes him.

"We stopping?" The hope evident is in her voice and Murtagh frowns, not that she could tell.

It's so dark even Murtagh has trouble seeing. He steps forward, meaning to take Alex's pack and ends up standing toe to toe with the girl. Murtagh is close enough to see her surprise, but she seems to have nothing to say.

Murtagh reaches his arm out and gently takes her pack. Alex nearly jumps when he touches her and he wonders if it's because he hurt her.

Shouldering the pack, which is a lot heavier than he thought, he looks intently at Alex.

"Thank you," he says genuinely, hoping she knows he means it.

Despite the darkness he can make out her eyes perfectly as she looks curiously up at him. He finds himself wondering about her. _What kind of girl risks her life for a stranger?_

As Alex stares up at him, he gets the feeling she's trying to figure him out. He sees pity in her eyes and it feels like a cold knife in his chest.

"We'd better hurry. The river's a way off and we need to cross before morning." He clears his throat and pushes past her. His pride had taken enough of a beating the past few days. Pity from a child was the last thing he needed.

The sky is dark and he checks the stars to make sure he's heading the right way. All those days spent reading in the library at Uru'baen came in handy. Reading helped him escape from life and getting lost in facts made it easier to forget the ones that defined his existence.

Astrology was one of his favorite subjects. He knows all the stars like the backs of his hands and better yet, how to track his location by them.

It had come in handy when he was on the run before. He was chasing a rumor that he hoped would change his fate. Befriending a rider seemed like a good idea at the time, he hadn't expected to actually like Eragon. He was young and an idealist, but smarter then he looked and loyal. He was naive, not yet aware of just how dark and twisted the world was. That's probably changed, but there was a bond between them even before he knew the truth, maybe more so now.

Luck would have it that they would be torn apart and pitted against each other, but that was just how his life turned out. Just when something seems to go his way, the fates pull the rug out from under him and laugh. First with Tornac, then with Eragon. This girl could be the next joke in the sick story that was his life. Just another reason not to get attached.

"Are you sure?"

"Would you prefer a slow agonizing death?"

The sky is a tinged with orange as the sun starts to rise. Murtagh takes off Alex's pack and checks to make sure it's properly shut. As he kneels on the ground Alex paces back and forth, she watches the river. Murtagh is reminded of when Thorn first discovered water. _He was terrified of it._

"Isn't there a bridge somewhere?" she reasons, desperate to have her way. They had spent the last ten minutes arguing about crossing the river. Alex made it clear that swimming across was not what she wanted, but they had to cross. It would be safer on the other side of the river and Murtagh is anxious to put as much distance between him and the forest as he can.

"Not for another few leagues at least." he tells her, standing up. He smirks. "You said you can swim, so what's the problem?"

"That I have valuables that can't get wet." she explains, shifting her stance while watching the water.

Sighing Murtagh walks up next to her. "If you have a better idea,"

Alex glares at his smug smile while crossing her arms. "Ugh, fine." she reaches back and yanks the pack off his back. Murtagh watches as she starts unpacking the contents.

Murtagh sighs. "Books don't travel well, it's not my fault if yours get wet."

Alex looks at him like he grew another head.

"Why would I bring books?" her eyebrows rise to her hairline as she questions him.

"What other valuables would be ruined by water?" he shrugs, as he scans the river. It was the best place they'd found to cross. It wasn't so wide and the water much calmer.

"I forgot you're stuck in the dark ages," Alex mutters under her breath. Murtagh turns and sees Alex pouting.

"What does that even mean?"

"It means that your people haven't even invented indoor plumbing yet," she answers as she places her strange device into the empty cookie box. "So shut up." She carefully shuts it and then wraps it in a blanket and then wraps all her other boxes in her clothes.

Sighing, Murtagh walks to the edge of the river. After a minute Alex joins him, shoving her pack at him.

"Just keep my pack dry," she instructs him.

Before Murtagh can react, she dives cleanly into the river. He watches as she disappears under the dark current. Her head bops up a few feet away and she waves him over.

"You waiting for an invitation?" She smirks and swims smoothly away.

Murtagh bites back a smile and he straps on the pack before joining her.

The water is cold and Murtagh is instantly shocked wide awake. His feet don't touch the bottom of the river and treads the water for a second before he heads for the other side.

The brightening sky makes it easy for him to spot Alex. Her head bobs above the water, though she doesn't seem to be in a hurry.

Murtagh easily catches up to her, paused in the middle of the river and floating on her back. Her arms keep her afloat, as she treads the water slowly.

"Here I thought you hated the water."

Alex shifts in the water and swims around him on her back. "I love it, actually." she smirks as she floats past him. Murtagh treads the water to keep himself afloat.

"Race you to the other side," she challenges, suddenly ducking under the water before reappearing several feet away.

Alex moves swiftly through the water and Murtagh follows her. He finds it hard to catch up to her and is surprised when Alex pulls herself out of the river first.

She hoots and laughs, a triumphant smile on her face as Murtagh reaches the riverbank seconds later. She holds her hand out and Murtagh hesitates a second before taking it.

"I win," she taunts, while pulling him out of the water.

"You had the advantage," he argues. Alex's mouth drops in shock and she straightens her shoulders.

"How?"

"You weren't carrying a pack."

"Considering your enhanced speed and all, I think it was a good equalizer."

She raises her eyebrows at him and Murtagh finds himself staring into her eyes. Her hand twitches and Murtagh realizes they hadn't let go of each other. Pulling back his hand, he pushes aside the possible reasons for that aside and steps around her.

Alex turns to face him, her shirt clinging to her like a second skin and Murtagh averts his eyes out of courtesy. Keeping his mind out of the gutter, Murtagh focuses on his goal. _Rescue Thorn and leave this world behind._

Thinking of his dragon helps reorient him and Murtagh clears his throat before turning to Alex. He notices her confusion, but keeps his mind on Thorn. "We should hurry, Thorn is waiting."

Author's note:

Thanks to my amazing beta readers for helping me. You guys really helped out!


	4. Chapter 3: Getting To Know You

Chapter 3: Getting To Know You

"Don't get that one, grab the thicker one."

" _You_ grab it. You're the one who wanted it."

Murtagh takes a deep breath and tries not to let Alex's childish retorts to get to him. Pushing past her, Murtagh snatches the thick cut of smoked meat off its hook. Tucking it into the sack he grabbed by the counter, Murtagh turns to see Alex dancing around the meat hanging from the ceiling of the butcher's shop. She nearly trips on the cloak that hides her strange clothes. Her face wrinkles she as nudges a smoked leg out of her way. She tucks her cloak around her small frame, taking care not to let it touch anything.

A shutter covers the only window in the small shop, casting long shadows across the dirt floor. Murtagh grabs several smoked chickens, avoiding any raw meat, and places them in the sack. Alex leans against the counter and tilts her head at him, eyeing the meat distastefully. "We need to stop by a bakery because there is no way I'm eating that."

"What's wrong with it?" he asks.

"I don't even wanna think about the health violations in this room alone. Just don't" Alex shudders and Murtagh sighs at her weirdness.

"Fine, but make yourself useful and watch the front door."

He's tucking the last of the meat in his sack when the front door slams open. A man pauses in the doorframe and stares at them. Moving quickly, Murtagh jumps over the counter and throws the man into the floor with one hand, the other slamming the door shut.

Whirling around, Murtagh finds the man on the floor trying to stand. Murtagh easily kicks him down and uses his boot to keep him there. "I thought you took care of the butcher."

Alex stands there her mouth slightly open. He raises his eyebrows at her as he pushes his foot down to keep the man on the pinned.

"I did, he's in the back," she insists, her eyes shifting to the man in confusion.

"Doesn't matter now, does it? We have a witness." He glares at the girl.

The man tries getting up, but Murtagh grabs him and presses him against the door. He wraps his hand into the man's throat, cutting off his strangled yelp before he can call out. The man stares at him in terror and tries to push him off, but Murtagh is too strong.

"What now?" Alex asks anxiously wringing her hands. He almost laughs at her naivety, but just smirks and meets her gaze while squeezing.

The man starts to struggle and tries pushing Murtagh's arm off, he then kicks aimlessly at Murtagh's legs. When that seems hopeless, the man tries clawing Murtagh's hand, then his face. Murtagh's able to keep his left arm pinned down, but the man's right arm lashes out. His nails catch on Murtagh's face, drawing blood. Murtagh knees the man in the groin. Enjoying the pain and terror on his face as the man realizes he's gonna die.

Pain explodes in Murtagh's shoulder, causing his arm to go slack. The man falls to the ground, gasping and coughing. Murtagh whirls and finds Alex holding a smoked pig's leg, her arms trembling, fear in her eyes. Murtagh doesn't have to say anything, but her reaction tells him.

 _She's scared of me._

"You don't have to kill him," she says, voice shaky, but determined. She avoids his eyes and kneels to help the man.

The man's coughs and gasps are the only sound in the small shop. Murtagh's chest tightens as he sees Alex try to help the man. Murtagh knows what needs to be done. Stepping over the man's leg Murtagh heads behind the counter.

It takes him a minute to find what he needs. He finds the man sitting up against the counter, face still purple and Alex's fingers pressed to his throat. She pushes back his hair and scans his face. Murtagh's left-hand grips the smooth handle and without hesitation Murtagh plunges the small knife in the man's chest. It slips between his ribs and Murtagh knows it found home as blood seeps through his shirt, staining the rough grey material.

Alex turns white as a sheet and looks up at him. He doesn't meet her gaze, yanking the knife back, he wipes it on the man's shirt before tucking into his belt. It would come in handy. He stands and checks for any other useful items. He hears Alex heaving while he gathers the few coins he found under the counter and searches the man for anything useful. The sound of Alex dry heaving grates on his ears. He winces and stands to gather his sack from its spot on the ground. As he slings the sack over his shoulder, dread fills Murtagh's chest and his stomach tightens painfully. Pushing it away, Murtagh reaches down and grabs Alex, yanking her to her feet. The sight of the dead man chills him for some reason and Murtagh hurries to the back of the shop.

The butcher, true to Alex's word, sits on a chair by the fireplace. His hands and legs tied to the chair, a sack over his head. He slumps over in the chair, still unconscious from Murtagh's blow. Alex follows him, her body practically limp in his hand.

Murtagh shoves the door open, his eyes temporarily blinded by the change of light. The sun was rising quickly. It would soon be midday, which meant they had to move quickly. He shoves Alex to the side of the building and secures it behind them. Glancing around, there's no movement in the back alley to Murtagh's relief. The butcher's shop opens to the wide plains, a small fenced yard filled with equipment needed for smoking meat.

Alex trembles against the wall, the tips of her hand are coated in blood. He sighs and walks over to her, pulling out the canteen he had swiped from inside. Alex barely seems to register him though, Murtagh pops it open and taking her hands he washes the blood off.

 _Probably the first time she saw someone die._

He waves his hand in front of her and she barely notices.

"Alex."

She stares blankly ahead, unresponsive.

"Hey, snap out of it!" He snaps his fingers and that seems to work. Alex blinks and focuses on his face. Her blank stare turns to anger. She glares at him, her face twisting in anger and she tries to punch him. Murtagh easily dodges it, but to her credit Alex keeps trying. Her throws aren't very strong, but her aim isn't bad. Proven when she hits him in the neck, hitting a nerve.

Murtagh flinches slightly, he catches both her hands and tries to calm her down. Alex tries to free herself and kicks him in the leg. Growling, Murtagh turns her around and pins her back against his chest. She struggles, but Murtagh clamps her tight against him, "Calm down," he hisses in her ear.

Luckily the girl has enough sense not to scream, she's almost too quiet. He waits for her to calm down. She heaves against him, straining against his arms. After several moments she gives up. She goes limp, collapsing against him.

The first sound out of her is a whimper, then a sob. Murtagh tries to be empathetic. The first time he saw someone die was not a fond memory or a particularly proud moment for him.

Sighing, Murtagh puts Alex down. She manages to stand, though her face is blank. He places his hand on her back and leads her away, pulling up the hood of her cloak while heading towards the outskirts of town.

It's not until they're at the last house that sits on the edge of town that Alex decides to speak up.

"Horses, we need horses," she whispers.

"I know, I'll get them. You stay here and don't talk to anyone," he instructs, only staying long enough to see her nod. Pivoting on his heels, he pauses for a moment before turning back around and taking Alex's cloak. She doesn't acknowledge the action at all, just stares blankly into the distance. Murtagh spares her a passing thought before he hurries back into town, weaving between the houses until he's walking on the main road.

Alex's cloak is short on him, but it hides his clothes well. People tend to remember well dressed strangers. Better to seem like a poor traveler, right now anonymity is key. It's noon, so most are at home eating but a few shops are still open. Murtagh clutches the purse he took from the butcher and weighs it. _Probably enough for a horse and not much more._

Pulling up his hood, Murtagh heads for the stables, wanting to be out of here before someone discovered the butcher and the body.

Murtagh drops the bag into Alex's lap. She's exactly where he left her, though she sits cross legged with some sort of string sticking out either of her ears. The shock seems to have worn off, she picks up the bag and pulls out a loaf of bread. She raises her eyebrows in question, but Murtagh ignores it and grabs her sack to strap it to the horse's back.

The brown stallion is a bit old, but strong. He cost nearly all the money Murtagh had pickpocketed, but now it would be easier to outrun Eesha. He glances at Alex while he fixes the straps. She stands up and pulls the strings out of her ears and Murtagh is intrigued by the little balls attached to each one. Alex winds the string up and shoves it into the pocket of her tight blue pants.

"What's this?" Alex holds out the bag of bread.

"Don't they have bread in your world?" He says, as he continues to ensure that the saddle is properly secured. She glares at him, but doesn't push the subject farther.

"I don't know how to ride," she informs him, her voice cracking. He turns to her and puts his hands on her waist. Alex opens her mouth, but Murtagh lifts her up and slides her to the front of the horse before she manages to speak. She holds her hands out and sits petrified in the saddle. "Murtagh, I don't know about this," she says, looking at the ground anxiously.

Ignoring her, he climbs on behind her, grabbing the reins and keeping her sandwiched between his arms. With a snap of the reins, Murtagh gets the horse moving. When they start moving, Alex grabs his arms tightly.

He keeps the horse at a brisk pace, guiding it away from the village. Despite her grip on his arms, Alex pulls into herself, keeping quiet, and Murtagh wonders if she'll still help him. The scenery rushes past, but the silence persists and after possibly the longest twenty minutes Murtagh decides to speak first.

"It had to be done."

Not an apology, but guilt was starting to eat away at him. Perhaps he could've been more tactful and he knew that seeing someone die can be shocking. Alex doesn't respond so he continues, "He saw me and you, together. If Eesha found him alive she would pull that from his mind."

He waits for her to say something, but the only indicator that she heard him was her tightening the grip on his arms. "We can't let her know about you. The element of surprise is our only advantage. Eesha could-"

"I know why you did it," she interrupts, relaxing her hands. "I understand."

Murtagh glances down at her, but can only see the top of her head.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it though," she says curtly and Murtagh can almost picture her glaring at him. His stomach twists as he sees himself kill the man.

He shakes away the thoughts, but the feeling of guilt stays with him.

 _What is wrong with me?_

This is hardly the first time he's killed someone, so why does it feel almost like it?

They rode for the next two days, only stopping for water and food. They couldn't start a fire so he used a simple spell to heat up the food. Alex refused any meat and would only drink water from the river after transferring it to her oddly shaped canteen. She didn't say anything and Murtagh wasn't going to be the one speak first. He did what was needed and if she couldn't handle it...

 _Well, I guess that means the rest of the trip is gonna be real quiet._

It wasn't until sundown on the third day that Murtagh knew they had to stop and rest for the night. The stallion couldn't go much longer without rest and they had made good time. Murtagh pulls the horse to stop and Alex jerks, probably waking from a restless sleep. She looks around and grabs Murtagh's arm to steady herself.

"Are we there? Did we find Thorn?" She asks, her voice thick from sleep. Murtagh jumps down and Alex nearly follows him, sliding halfway down without even realizing it. He quickly grabs her and holds her to his chest. She didn't seem to notice, her head falls against his chest snoring.

He sets Alex down on the ground before picketing the horse. She pulls herself into a ball on the grass while Murtagh unsaddles the horse and grabs the blankets from the pack. He lays out Alex's blanket, which is an odd poofy thing that's slippery on the outside. Laying it next to her, he sets his farther away, but close enough so he can keep an eye on her. He rubs the horse down as best he can and takes a long drink from the river.

Walking over to where Alex lies on the ground he nudges her with his foot. "Hey, wake up." Alex groans and rolls over..

"No, sleeping," she mumbles.

"Fine," he mutters under his breath at the girl's stupidity.

Sitting on his roll he leans back, breathing deeply he watches the stars. It's a warm summer night with clear skies. His mind drifts to Thorn and he hopes he's not in a cave.

 _He hates the dark._

Just when Murtagh had started to drift off a sharp kick to his side wakes him. Cracking his eye open he sees Alex looking down at him.

"So what's for dinner?" she asks. Murtagh glares at her before rolling over, intent on ignoring her.

He hears shuffled footsteps and Alex muttering under her breath. He keeps his eyes shut and tries to fall back asleep. A few seconds later something lands near his face. Opening his eyes, he finds Alex sitting on her blanket which she had dragged right next to his. She looks at him expectantly and he stares right back.

"God you're stubborn." She sighs and pulls open the sack, revealing half a loaf of bread and a whole smoked chicken. She sets the food on a napkin, arranging it on the grass in between their blankets. "Come on, don't make me eat this cold." she gestures to the food.

Giving in, Murtagh sits up and Alex claps her delight.

"Now do your toaster oven thing."

"Toaster oven?" He asks, stretching his arms over his head.

"Yeah, that thing you do to heat up the food. Heat this up, because if I'm going to eat meat, I want it warm."

She nods encouragingly at him.

Rolling his eyes, Murtagh casts the spell. It takes a few moments, but soon steam rises from the chicken and the little bit of bread that's left is warm to the touch. He releases the spell, feeling the drain of energy. Sighing, he rubs his eyes. Alex reaches out and tears a leg off the chicken. Holding it up she sighs.

"Goodbye six years of no animal products."

She bites into it and gags. She spits the meat out and coughs.

"What was that?" He asks curiously, as he takes the other leg and bites into it.

"I'm fine, I'm cool." Alex coughs a bit but forces a smile on her face. She eyes the leg distastefully.

Murtagh glances at her, she doesn't touch the meat instead eats the bread. What little there was. Pulling out his small knife he cuts into the meat. For a minute he recalls the man he killed and his gut twists at the thought.

He cuts off some meat and bites into it, pushing the man from his thoughts. He quickly works through most of it, but leaves some for Alex. Wiping his hands on his handkerchief, Murtagh turns to Alex who still hasn't taken another bite or her chicken. He can hear her stomach rumble, demanding more food.

"You have to eat," he tells her.

"I know."

He waits, but she just stares at the meat like _it's_ going to eat her.

"We have a long ride ahead of us," he reminds her.

"I know."

Sighing Murtagh taps her forehead. Alex looks up at him, her eyes wide.

"What is it?" He asks. If Alex doesn't eat, it will cause problems, especially since there won't be another town for quite some time. So finding more bread is out of the question.

"I don't like eating animals," she says, tossing the chicken leg onto the napkin. Murtagh grabs the leg and bites into it. Alex stares at him while Murtagh quickly devours the whole thing. He passes her back the bare bone which Alex drops like a hot poker.

"We only have so much food and a lot of ground to cover. I can't force you to eat, but if you don't, you'll starve." he shrugs, leaning back on his hands.

Alex nods slightly, gazing sadly at the half eaten chicken.

"Which defeats the whole purpose of you coming here," he continues, letting her stew in that.

After a few seconds, Alex groans and shakes her head. "Fine, I'll eat."

She takes what's left of the chicken and using Murtagh's knife, which she snatches from him, starts carving up the bird. She slices off a piece and pops it in her mouth. Murtagh watches amused as she slowly chews. Alex seems to be deliberately slow and finally decides to swallow.

"Was that so hard?" He asks, sarcasm lacing his voice. Ignoring him, she digs into the chicken and finishes the whole thing rather quickly. He watches as she practically inhales the bird. By the time she's done, the chicken is a neatly cleaned pile of bones sitting on the napkin. Alex sucks her fingers clean and shrugs at his questioning look.

"I was hungry," is all the explanation she gives, and Murtagh laughs. Alex watches him for a moment before joining in. It feels good to laugh.

"Which one's that?"

Alex's arm reaches over his face as she points out a star. Murtagh glances at said star while shoving her arm away.

"That's Flan, part of the Elphas constellation," he explains. The two of them are lying down. Somehow, Murtagh had ended up teaching Alex the different constellations—though he's not certain she's actually listening.

Alex snorts, "Flan? Like the dessert?" a moment later she hits his arm "You do have that here right?"

Slapping her hand away, Murtagh nods. "Of course."

"Sweet. Since my diet is broken anyway I'm totally eating some." She groans and Murtagh feels her kicking the ground. "I've missed flan," she moans longingly.

"Why couldn't you eat it before?" He asks absently, paying more attention to the heavens then her answer.

"It was mostly political, but I don't like the idea of an animal dying so I could eat."

"But humans need meat," he reasons, confused how she thought living off just plants was a viable diet.

"Actually, eating more vegetables is healthier," she tells him smugly and Murtagh rolls his eyes.

"Yeah right," he scoffs.

"Whatever," Alex says, her tone playful.

They watch the stars in silence until Alex asks, "So what's the deal with Eesha?"

Murtagh bristles at her name. "She's my teacher," he says roughly. He frowns, at the thought of her.

Alex pushes herself and looks at him questioningly.

"For what? You're supposed to be an amazing fighter _and_ the second most powerful magician in Alagaesia," she says, her face scrunched up.

"Yeah, well…" he bites his cheek and ignores her inquisitive looks.

"It's magic, isn't it?" she gasps and her eyebrows nearly touch her hairline. "You're a crappy magician!"

"I am not crappy," Murtagh snaps. Pushing himself up he glares at her. Alex scoffs at him, rolling her eyes.

"Then cast a spell," she challenges him proudly. Murtagh frowns at her. He may not be as naturally gifted as Eragon, but he wasn't crappy.

 _Whatever that means, it can't be good._

"I don't have to listen to you," he replies. Alex laughs at him and Murtagh considers if leaving her in the plains is a viable option. He could just leave her here and rescue Thorn alone.

Alex shakes her head and Murtagh notices the fading purple marks on her neck. Reminding him of how he mistreated her when they first met. Guilt twists in his stomach and Murtagh growls at the unwanted emotion.

"Dude, you're just proving your incompetence. Come on, one spell," she urges, shaking his arm, a broad smile on her face.

"I already did a spell earlier, remember?"

He still hopes he can get out of this with his dignity intact. Alex grins, shaking her head and he has a feeling she's not allow it.

"Come on, you can do better then that. Can't you?" she challenges him.

Frowning, Murtagh crawls over and sits on her blanket. He notices that Alex tenses as he settles in front of her. Reaching out, he places his left palm against her throat. She instantly freezes under his touch and he sees the fear in her eyes. Breathing deeply and closing his eyes, he focuses entirely on casting the spell. Once he had found the well of magic that resided in him he recalled the words needed.

"Waise heill," he whispers, as he feels the small drain of energy leaving his body. His palm tingles and Murtagh opens his eyes to assure that the spell worked. The bruises have all faded, leaving Alex's skin it's normal brown tone.

Leaning back, he let's Alex touch her neck, quite content with himself. Once Alex is assured her neck is healed, she smiles at him as she tests her voice. She hums a little then starts singing some scales. Murtagh is surprised that the voice which had been whiny and grating the past few days could sound so sweet.

As she gets more confident, she smiles and starts singing a strange song. Her voice cracks a little bit, but Alex smiles as she hits the notes. She hops in place and smacks Murtagh on the shoulder.

"I knew you could do it," she teases. "Though next time, try healing it sooner. I could barely speak it hurt so bad." Her tone tells him she's in jest, but the guilt still weighs on him.

"So you're a singer?" he asks, in an effort to change the subject.

"I love singing, it's one of the things that makes life bearable." She shrugs and starts humming her song.

"What else helps you?" He asks, surprised that he actually wants to know.

Alex considers this for a minute, she tilts her head up in thought. "Reading. A good is book is my greatest weakness." She smirks. "Curling up with a book after a long day is the best."

"I can relate," he shares, shifting his legs. "One of the benefits of living in Uru'baen was its extensive libraries a shame the king burned any about the old world." Murtagh sighs absently. "Knowledge shouldn't be treated like that."

"I forgot Galbatorix was into censorship," Alex sighs. "That must suck for authors. Imagine working on a book for years only for it to be banned because someone doesn't like it."

"That is one of the downsides of his rule," Murtagh says, half joking. He rubs his neck, recalling the other, many downsides he had endured.

"So what's your favorite book?" Alex nudges him, drawing him out of his mind.

"I'm not sure," he answers honestly. Alex groans and tosses her head back.

"Lame! You must have a favorite. Spill," she urges.

Murtagh thinks for a moment, before admitting. "Fine; I do enjoy 'Phantom and Rebels'."

Alex inches closer, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

"Ohh, sounds adventurous," she grins. "What's it about?"

They spent the next hour discussing their favorite books. Murtagh found Alex liked dissecting the themes and elements of a story. He also learned her favorite book is "The Host". She talked for ten minutes straight about how the author explored the idea of what it was to be human. She even tried explaining what aliens are. Though she didn't do a very good job. Murtagh was more confused after she spoke then when she had began.

Murtagh was delighted to know she could talk about books, it was something they had in common at least. Alex told him that he could read some of her favorite books on her strange device she calls a phone. Murtagh declined, not trusting the strange device but Alex swore that he'd have to get one if he wants to live in her world.

"Okay," he says, stretching. It was far too late and they both needed their rest. "we need to sleep now. If we don't hurry—"

"Yes, I know what's at stake here. Don't worry," Alex assures him, the last part swallowed by a yawn.

"You kept us up too late," he says, stretching back on his blanket.

"Excuse me for being sociable," she murmurs as she starts to snuggle into her own blanket.

"We're leaving at first light," he warns her.

"Got it, boss man." Alex nods and tucks herself into her slippery puffy blanket, quickly disappearing inside of it.

Murtagh's about to fall asleep when he hears Alex whisper his name. Turning in his blanket her finds her staring intently at him, her eyes peeking out from her blanket. Her eyes are surprisingly stern.

"Yeah," he replies.

"Don't kill someone in front of me ever again."

Biting his cheek, Murtagh watches her for a minute. She eventually turns around in her blanket and he in turn drifts off, confused by this strange girl. The last thing that crosses his mind is what Thorn would think of Alex.

A woman enters the butcher shop, it takes her eyes a minute to adjust to the dark room. She skirts around all the dead animals hanging from the ceiling and focuses on the man behind the counter. The smell of death heavy in the air.

The butcher slams his knife repeatedly into the animal in front of him.

"What can I do you for?" He asks, his voice deep and rough.

She walks up to the counter, making sure not to touch the blood filled block of wood. "Your memories will do nicely."

With a few words, she immobilizes the butcher and makes sure that no one can interrupt her. Once she's sure the room is secure she turns to the man in front of her. Reaching out with her mind, the woman easily breaks into the man's mind. Not wasting time with pleasantries she heads for his short term memory, knowing exactly what she's looking for.

The man's memories flash past and the woman keeps an eye out for the one she's hunting. Unfortunately her prey had been careful. The moron knew nothing useful.

The woman yanks out of the man's mind, not caring enough to be gentle. The man stares blankly at her and the woman looks at him with disgust. With a huff she leaves the dark shop behind. Once she's out of the shop she releases the spell, the butcher none the wiser of what she did.

The next two days were spent riding. Murtagh was itching to reach Thorn, the sooner the better. So he pushed the horse, not allowing himself to sleep.

Alex turned out to be a rather enjoyable traveling companion. Though she could be very bossy. She pushed him to tell her more about the stars. So during the night, he would guide the horse into a slow walk so he could point out the different stars. Besides, riding the horse to death wouldn't help anyone.

Murtagh enjoyed talking to someone, and Alex ate up his knowledge, sharing some of her own. She shows him all the things her phone can do and Murtagh was quite fascinated with it. Not enough to actually use it, despite Alex offering. She would play music at night, another amazing feature of her phone. Alex would occasionally sing along and Murtagh found a song Alex called, "Shut up and Dance With Me" stuck in his head.

Alex's music was strange, but Murtagh found he didn't mind it so much. During the day she would attach it to a slightly larger device. She explained that her phone requires energy and that the larger device helps her take energy from the sun.

She did smile a lot, but she was amusing, and Murtagh didn't hate having her around.

On the dawn of the third day, the horse crests a small incline and Murtagh spots a large shimmer on the distant horizon. Pulling the horse to a stop he shakes Alex, who lies against his chest sleeping. One thing Murtagh did know about Alex was that she could sleep soundly while riding a horse.

She wakes with a jolt, her head leaning against his chest "What happened? Did we die?" She murmurs, her voice lethargic. Alex looks up at him, rubbing her eyes.

"We're almost there," he tells her, kicking the horse into a brisk walk.

 _I'm coming for you._

Author's Note:

Thanks for those who reviewed and read my little story. Your thoughts and favoriting really makes my week.

Chapter 4 might take a while, I'm working through the first draft. Which is always followed by rewrites, beta reads and so forth.

Big thanks to my betas AreiaCananaid and Morgan K'Treva

They are the reason my story isn't a hot mess. Love you guys!


	5. Old Foes and A New Ally

Chapter 4: Close Encounters

Darkness seeps from every angle, hiding the dragon within. The air is like a cold wet towel, it clings to him making it hard to breathe. The moisture soaks into every dip of his scales, stealing warmth from his body. Water gathers at the edges of his large red eyes. If there was anyone to witness his prison it would appear as if he was crying.

His tears were spent long ago and his rider taught him to never let them see you cry. The thought of his rider causes a fresh ache to rise in the dragon's chest. He tries to shift into a more comfortable position, but the chains limit his movements. He only has to wait until his rider comes for him and he will come.

 _Murtagh never breaks a promise. This is just another cave._

His mind drifts to the other cave which was the only home the young dragon knew. It was much larger, but the Sad Dragon took up so much room. The Bad Man kept them both there, but at least he had Murtagh. The Sad Dragon had no one, he was alone in the dark.

Anger claws at the edge of his mind as he thinks of the Bad Man. He hurt everyone, he hurt his rider and forced him into this large body that felt wrong. He imagines eating the Bad Man. He wasn't that big and could easily fit into his mouth.

He wonders if the Bad Man would taste good. Or if his cruelty made him sour. Cruelty was the word Murtagh used when he talked about the Bad Man. Murtagh warned him against acting out, but he felt a need to bite into something. A need to rip the life from something and then eat it.

Maybe he'll eat other humans. The ones wearing shiny clothes were mean. He could eat them and he enjoyed scraping them out of their shells.

His stomach growls, twisting like knotted rope inside of him. It had been days since he ate. Too many days since he felt the reassuring warmth of his rider's mind brushing against his. The darkness was bad enough, but he was used to that. He would sleep in the dark with the Sad Dragon. What made the darkness unbearable was the loneliness.

It reminded him of the years inside his egg. Alone and in the dark.

That was before he knew the warmth Murtagh provided. He recalls his first day out of his egg.

It started in excruciating pain when the Bad Man broke his front legs. Murtagh cried out with him, but the Bad Man just kept going. His hurt got inside of Murtagh, chaining his rider with invisible chains.

Guilt twists inside him. He knows that if it wasn't for him Murtagh wouldn't be chained to the Bad Man. He was the reason the only good human was a prisoner.

After the Bad Man left them Murtagh tried to heal him. He was tired after that, but he held tiny him against his chest and they fell asleep. He wrapped his tail around Murtagh's arm and snuggled against his neck. Feeling at home in his arms.

Murtagh can't hold him in his arms. Not like before. This body was too big for that. But he would give his wings for the briefest of touches. It didn't even have to be with his body.

He reaches out with his mind, hoping for the faintest feeling of his rider. Humans' minds were like little flames to him, but his rider had the warmest and brightest flame and he searched for it.

He extends himself as far as he can. The place Murtagh called "city" has many flames. But none are his rider. He pushes himself further, down to the water, the road that followed it.

Needles stab him as he goes too far and he retreats back to his mind.

Opening his maw, he releases an ear-splitting keen as he mourns the loss of his rider.

"What kind of name is Liwra?" Alex asks as soon as the wagon carrying the people he conned a dress from rolls away. Murtagh sighs, he should've known she'd be nosey about this. The girl has been pestering him with personal questions every chance she gets.

"Why does it matter?" he asks Alex, who grips his blanket around her shoulders to cover up her "American" clothes. "We have what we needed and all I had to do was ask."

"First of all, the dress you got from Alagasian Barbie is so not going to fit me." Alex snarks. "Second, why out of all the names you could've given me, you chose Liwra." she snorts the name and Murtagh bristles.

"And why did I have to be your wife?"

"Because no one would believe you're my sister," he replies as he turns off the road. He leads the horse down towards the river where Alex can change in semi privacy.

"That doesn't even sound like a name." she says indignantly.

"Well it is," he snaps. "Why do you even care?"

"It sounds like a leave or type of tree," Alex says as if determined to irritate him.

"It's just a name," he mutters.

"Sure it is," she says drily. Murtagh scoffs and shakes his head. This girl really could be annoying.

"You have to tell me, I'll tell you anything you want to know about me," she pleads, her voice becoming whiny.

"Why do you want to know?" he asks, hoping to derail the conversation.

"Because" she whines and she actually kicks her feet like a child.

"It was the name of a girl I knew," he tells her, rolling his eyes at her childishness.

"She your girlfriend?" she asks quietly.

"Is that another American term?" he asks, stopping the horse suddenly. Alex falls forward against the horse's neck.

"Don't try changing the subject." she huffs.

"You're nosey; you do know that, right?"

"Well, how else am I supposed to get to know you?" Alex asks as he dismounts. "You're not exactly the most open person."

He smirks and laughs under his breath.

"Why do you want to know me?" he asks absently, as he grabs her waist and lifts her from the saddle. Murtagh drops Alex to the ground and she stumbles a little. Her eyes meet his, heavy with something Murtagh can't name, killing the grin he had from her description of him.

"You just seem like a person worth knowing," she says softly. Murtagh searches her eyes for signs of deceit, but he can't find any. Hardening his eyes, he reminds himself not to grow attached.

"That's because you don't know me," he says curtly, pulling away from her. He reaches into the saddle and grabs the sapphire dress. Shoving it at Alex, he glares coldly at her. "Now get dressed."

Alex looks at him, sadness lingering in her eyes. She opens her mouth before thinking twice. Narrowing her eyes at him and she snatches the dress before stomping away.

Murtagh's guts twist in his stomach, a part of him wants to trust Alex but he reminds himself why he doesn't let people in. They never stay around long and most stab you in the back. Those that don't end up dead and getting attached just makes the inevitable goodbye all the more painful. He remembers something he told Thorn the day he hatched.

 _It's just you and me now. Always and forever._

Murtagh is reminded of his dragon and all that he's endured. Pain grips at his chest, as he remembers all the suffering the once small dragon experienced.

He's probably all alone.

Galbatorix knew that's what Thorn hates most of all. So it's probably his punishment. Like training with Eesha was his.

Going out on a limb Murtagh reaches out with his mind, straining as far as he can. He follows the river, he senses the mind of the siblings he and Alex came across and pushes farther. He runs across the minds of other travellers and gets as far as the edge of Leona Lake.

Sweat drips down his brow but he goes further, desperate for any brief echo of Thorn's mind. Murtagh exhausts himself and reluctantly accepts that he's still too far for their bond to reach.

A slight thud draws Murtagh's attention. Wiping his brow he looks down and sees an arrow at his feet. He turns and sees a group of horsemen on the distant horizon.

Eesha.

"So you're not gonna tell me who Liwra is?" Alex says from behind the horse.

Murtagh is about to tell her to mind her own business and hurry up when he notices the arrow starting to glow. He tries to shout a warning, but the arrow explodes and he's tossed through the air.

Landing on his back, his breath is stolen and his ears ringing. Stumbling to his feet, the last thing he sees is Alex lying on the ground across from him before it all goes black.

A dull throbbing spreads throughout Murtagh's face. The stinging of a blade runs across his cheek and he flinches away from the pain. His face feels inflamed and as he becomes more aware of himself voices are filtered through. The voices are dim at first, but there's definitely more than one.

"Looks like pretty boy is awake," a man says, his voice raspy like a saw running over stone.

"Not so pretty now," another man mutters, this voice much closer and dripping with malice.

Murtagh tries opening his eyes, but hot liquid drips in, blinding him. He groans and the men laugh at his discomfort. Squinting Murtagh blinks against the liquid and quickly realizes its blood. Probably his.

It takes a second for the world to come into focus, though it still has a reddish tint to it. A knife's blade gently caresses the area underneath his left eye. Behind the knife is a man with a bald head and a grizzly beard. He sneers at Murtagh, the tip of the knife is coated in blood.

Murtagh realizes he was the second man to speak.

"Sure you should be doing this, Huncorr?" the first man asks.

"Shut up," the man holding the knife hisses, his head cocked to the right addressing someone out of sight.

Something about the bald man seems familiar. Murtagh tries to move but his hands are bound over his head, and from the rise and fall that presses against his back, he bets he's tied to the saddle of a horse.

"The ladies won't be swooning over this bastard once I'm through." The man with the knife says. His sadistic smile wrinkles his forehead, making him look older.

Murtagh recognizes the man from his sick smile and realizes he's dealing with Eesha's thugs. A bunch of lowlife mercenaries the witch likes to keep around. Baldy here was particularly foul and seemed to have a personal vendetta against him. He would always try to provoke him, but, in all honesty, Murtagh didn't even know his name. He would just call him Baldy. The nickname seemed to irritate the man, giving Murtagh more cause to use it.

If they're here, then Eesha must be close.

Her absence was a gift though and not one Murtagh was going to waste.

A hulking giant stands behind Baldy and shakes his head. "She'll just heal him. Or the king will."

"Just shut up, Dave," Baldy shouts, bringing the knife closer to Murtagh's face. Murtagh holds still, showing fear would just give them more power.

"Yeah," Murtagh says, holding back a grimace as he feels his face open up. Blood pours into his mouth, the metallic taste is heavy on his tongue. "When I kill Baldy, I'll be sure to go much slower." his voice comes out in a low rasp and doesn't carry the weight Murtagh intended.

Baldy still stiffens at his threat, before laughing in Murtagh's face. The moron's spit hits him on the cheek, stinging against raw skin.

"I wouldn't be so arrogant, boy. We know you don't have any magic." Baldy leers at him, his arm moves quickly and Murtagh feels the sting from his blade. "And you ain't the in the position to make threats."

"What do you know of magic?" Murtagh huffs. His chest feels heavy and he takes a laboured breath. "Adurna, atra, waise heill, brisinger." he says a little louder, "None of you even know what that means."

Baldy snorts and slowly draws his knife across Murtagh's jaw. Heat sprouts from the fresh cut and Murtagh bites his tongue.

"I don't need magic," Baldy hisses at him. "Eesha will probably heal you when she gets back, but, for now, you're ours to play with."

Murtagh grits against the pain, refusing to let the bastards see him flinch. A high pitched yelp comes from behind Dave. Murtagh's gut twists and he struggles against his ties, straining to catch a glimpse of her.

Alex.

"Didn't know you liked men." he grinds out, as he works out an escape plan.

Baldy smiles at his reaction.

"Oh, I like women just fine. You can ask your girl once we're done with you. That is if there's anything left of her once the boys are through." he lowers his voice and presses the knife against Murtagh's groin.

Murtagh slams his head into Baldy's nose. The man cries out and stumbles backwards, pressing his hands to his face as blood drips down his chin. Dave steps closer to his friend and tries to help, but Baldy shoves the larger man's hand away snarling like the beast he is.

"I don't need magic to take you bastards," Murtagh spits out. Baldy looks up, both hands cupped to his nose. Murtagh grins manically, even as he tastes his own blood pouring into his mouth.

He's sure the sight is fearsome at best, grotesque at worse. It seems to have the desired effect as Baldy's eyes shift nervously and he unconsciously takes a small step back.

The two idiots turn their backs on him, which was their second mistake. Their first was thinking ropes could hold him. As they whisper to each other, Murtagh tests the strength of his bonds. The faint smell of smoke tickles his nose and he worries the spell didn't work the way he planned.

The throbbing in his face lessens and his eyesight clears up. Not wanting to drain too much energy Murtagh ends the spell. He has to hurry if he wants to save Alex. He worries about, but the rest of him reprimands him for even caring. Caring about people never turns out well for either party.

Doesn't mean she deserves to be manhandled.

Murtagh reasons with himself as another soldier walks into view. This one is average in height, an inch or two shorter than him. But Murtagh recognizes the hint of a tattoo that peeks out from the collar of his chainmail.

 _Thalf._

He was the only one of Eesha's goons whose name he bothered to remember. The only reason for that was because the man actually tried talking to Murtagh. They had discussed a few political issues before. In between Eesha's sessions when she was done "teaching" him. Thalf had a decent head on his shoulders, but that didn't change the fact that he was in the way of what Murtagh wanted.

His hair is shorn nearly to the scalp and wrinkles around his dark brown eyes make him look older.

Thalf frowns when he sees Murtagh, his thin lips purse together and he walks over to the two morons. Tapping Baldy's shoulder he gestures to Murtagh. "What is this?"

"It's just a bit of fun." Baldy smiles at him, even though his nose is still bleeding. The damaged beak has taken a deep purple color which Thalf sneers at.

"If she's angry, it's on you," Thalf warns the idiot, who puffs his chest out.

"I can handle the witch." Baldy boasts, playfully nudging Dave's gut. The larger man frowns and shakes his head vigorously.

"No, you can't. She'll fry you without blinking."

Baldy gapes at his friend. "You don't believe I could take her?

The two continue to argue while Thalf walks over to Murtagh. The shorter man gives him a once over, pausing on his face. "They sure did a number on you," he mutters.

Murtagh doesn't entertain thoughts of the man worrying about him. He knows Thalf is only concerned for himself. If Eesha truly hadn't allowed them to do this, she might decide to punish them and he'd been on the end of her punishments. They usually ended with burns on his arms and legs. Well, in his case anyway.

"What's that smell?" Thalf says, suspiciously. He sniffs the air and Murtagh acts quickly. Using his enhanced strength he smashes in Thalf's knee cap with the heel of his boot. Thalf drops to the ground, groaning. The two morons look up and Baldy runs over, his knife raised.

"You're gonna regret that boy," he hisses as he approaches.

Murtagh waits til he's close enough while pulling on the ropes that bind his wrist. Feeling rushes back into his hands as the ropes break. Reaching up, Murtagh stops Baldy's arm mid air. He struggles to free himself, but Murtagh's vice like grip tightens around his wrist forcing him to drop the knife.

He sees the fear in Baldy's eyes and Murtagh enjoys the look of panic on his face. A chill runs down his spine and adrenaline courses through his veins. The familiar rush energizes him and he squeezes tighter. Baldy cries out as the bones in his wrist shatter. A shrill scream escapes the older man's lips and Murtagh laughs as he lets him fall to the ground, clutching his mangled limb.

Stepping around Baldy, who's wailing like a child, Murtagh bends over and picks up the knife that's covered in his blood. Growling, Dave charges him running at full speed. Murtagh breathes deeply as the larger man approaches. He kicks Baldy in the jaw to silence his annoying screams. Calming his heart, Murtagh twirls the knife in his hand. Dave advances, wielding a two handed broadsword over his head.

Murtagh side steps Dave's attack and moving quickly he slashes at the giant as he runs past. Blood spurts from the back of his knees. The weak spot in nearly any armor and the best way to cripple an enemy. Once he's down, he's yours.

Dave falls to his knees, his sword crashes to the ground. Grabbing his hair Murtagh runs the knife across the man's throat, listening while Dave chokes on his own blood.

Once he stops moving Murtagh pushes him down and watches as blood pools from Dave's neck. Adrenaline pumps through him from the kill, but he knows it won't last long. There are other men that need to die. He spares a glance at Thalf and Baldy. Baldy's not gonna wake for a while and Murtagh wants to drag out his death. But Thalf twitches on the ground so Murtagh stabs him in the neck. Finishing the job,

Leaving him to die Murtagh spots the rest of Eesha's men gathered in a semi-circle several yards away. His stomach twists as he quickly realizes what's got them so distracted that they didn't even notice their fallen comrades.

Arming himself with Thalf's sword, he quietly approaches the men. Four of them have their backs turned to him, laughing at whatever's happening to Alex. A man's howl followed by hoots and hollers, makes Murtagh's ears ring.

"Bitch bit me!" One of the men scream and the distinct sound of flesh hitting flesh makes the hair on Murtagh's neck stand up.

With a knife in his right hand and a sword in the other Murtagh sneaks right up behind the men. With two thrusts half of the men fall to the ground, clutching their necks trying to stem the flow of blood. Some of it splashes against Murtagh's face, the hot liquid mixing with his own blood.

The two other soldiers draw their swords and lower it towards him while backing up. Murtagh sees the third soldier. The one standing over Alex's hunched form. She clutches her stomach, wearing nothing but pants and a strange corset that only covers her breasts.

The soldier's lip bleeds and Murtagh guesses at what he was doing to Alex. He reaches into his mind and pointing his sword at the man. "Deyja"

The man crumples like a puppet whose strings were cut. Turning, Murtagh faces the other two soldiers, a fierce scowl on his face. The two men glance at each other, with dread in their eyes. Murtagh sees their fear and he feeds on that, enjoying the terror he inspires.

"So who's first?" he asks, a twisted smile on his lips. He throws his dagger and it sinks into one of their feet. The man howls in agony and tries to free himself. While he's struggling with his foot, Murtagh rushes the second man. He easily disarms the man and then guts him. Whirling around Murtagh decapitates the other man. His head lands with a thump at Murtagh's feet.

With the two men dead, he retrieves his dagger before running over to Alex.

She's sitting up, hugging her knees to her chest. Her eyes are vacant and her lips swollen. Dropping his sword, Murtagh kneels in front of her. Her hair's a mess and he brushes back a piece that fell over her eyes. She looks up at him and bites her lip, her whole body shaking.

"You're alright, don't worry." he tries to calm her. But she looks at his face and tears start to pour from her eyes.

He leaves her for a moment and grabs a blanket from one of the horse's saddles. Wrapping it around her shoulders, Murtagh tries to get her attention.

"We gotta leave now. Alex?" he grabs her arm and tries to get her to look at him. Instead, she stares at something behind him. Looking over his shoulder he sees what it is she's staring at.

 _Damn it._

Grabbing her chin, he pulls her eyes away from the soldier's decapitated head. "I had to do it Alex. You can be upset later, but we have to go."

Pulling her up, Murtagh tries to get her to walk but she collapses against him, her eyes fixated on the nearby carnage. Sighing, he scoops her into his arms. Her head leans against his chest, her breathing ragged. He heads for the nearest horse when maniacal laughter makes him turn around.

A bloody Thalf stands ten feet away, grinning with blood pouring from his neck.

"Impressive Murtagh, but not good enough," he warns, holding up Dave's large broadsword. He stands crooked, blood staining his left knee. The one Murtagh broke.

Murtagh slowly puts Alex down, cursing under his breath. He recognizes the crazed look in Thalf's eyes and there's only one way he could still be standing.

Galbatorix had created a spell that makes you unable to feel pain. It required very little energy and was powered by the person themselves. The spell was ingenious, but it had a bad side effect. It made soldiers lose their minds after sustaining injuries that should have killed them.

"I thought it was quite creative myself," Murtagh says drily, putting himself between Thalf and Alex.

"She commanded me to keep you here. And I don't plan on failing."

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to tell Eesha that you were loyal 'til you're dying breath," Murtagh swears, his voice tight as he picks up the sword he dropped. He approaches Thalf, who stands still, his sword tilting towards the ground.

Murtagh charges, and despite his lethargic expression, Thalf moves quickly. Deflecting Murtagh's blows easily Thalf manages to land a strike on his arm. The blade slices through Murtagh's right forearm, tearing through the muscle. Hot pain shoots through his whole arm.

Grimacing, Murtagh holds his arm against his chest. He intensifies his blows, moving quickly despite his injured limb. Thalf grins at him as their blades meet. He pushes forward, scraping his blade along Murtagh's until he's inches away from his face. Murtagh strains against the man's weight but is able to push him back.

Thalf skids back a few feet and smirks at him. The two circle each other, both waiting for an opening to attack. Murtagh considers using magic, but he's unsure if he has the strength and even if he does Thalf could cut him down before he casts a spell.

As they come full circle Murtagh sees an opening. He feints left before twisting his sword at the last moment. Murtagh's sword is a moment away from splitting Thalf's guts open when a thin metal chain wraps around his blade.

The sword is yanked from Murtagh's hand and turning around, his heart stops for a second as he sees Eesha standing a few feet from him. One of the thin wires she likes to fight with holds his sword the other is wrapped around Alex's chest.

Her pale hair blows in the wind, ice cold eyes watching him with a penetrating glare. She mutters under her breath and the wire tightens around Alex's exposed torso. She bites her lower lip as the wires cut into her. Bright red blood drips down her tan skin.

"Come quietly Murtagh and I'll let your girl live." she says even as her wire digs further into Alex.

"I think it's a little late for quietly. Don't you think?" he tells her. He sees Thalf pull out a pair of shackles from one of the nearby horse saddles. Murtagh shifts as he tries to come up with a plan. He takes a step closer to Eesha but she wags her finger.

"Another step and she dies." Eesha threatens. The wires glow red and Alex cries out. The smell of burning flesh turns Murtagh's stomach. Alex is lifted into the air, held by the scorching wires that are burning her skin.

"Why should I care?" he says, watching Thalf from the corner of his eyes.

Alex blinks and looks at him for a moment, confused. Eesha laughs at Alex's expression, "I guess the apple didn't fall far from the heartless tree." she sneers.

"Wh- you," Alex stammers and her chestnut eyes look at him with disbelief. "Jerk!" she shouts. "You can't let me die!" she turns to Eesha desperately. "He can't let me die, can he?" she actually asks the witch.

"Don't take it personally, it's who he is," Eesha tells Alex, shrugging. "He doesn't care about anyone, except for his sorry excuse of a dragon."

"How can you be such an ass!" Alex screams at him. Murtagh frowns at her, stepping to the side trying to keep Thalf in sight.

"This is nothing personal, but that moron is my responsibility." Eesha tells Alex. "Deyja," she says. She mutters something else and her wires release Alex, who falls to the ground.

Using her moment of distraction, Murtagh charges her. Snatching his sword that lies next to Alex's body he swings it at Eesha's head.

Her wires block the attack, they stiffen and throw him backwards. Murtagh lands on his injured arm and it throbs from the abuse. Gritting his teeth, he pulls himself up.

"I think you might actually be worse then your father. At least he didn't kill his lovers." Eesha saunters over to him, her hair like pale fire as it whips around her face.

The comparison to his father sends Murtagh into a rage and he jumps to his feet. Lashing out, he attacks her again and again, but all he hits are wires. Eesha dances back as he closes in on her. She knocks him down with a sharp blow to his face, the sensitive flesh throbbing from the contact.

Her wires wrap around his arms, yanking him forward. The wires cut through his sleeves and dig into his flesh while dragging him through the grass towards their mistress. Blood pumps through him as his heart race and his adrenaline kicks in. Relying on the extra rush, Murtagh reaches for his magic.

"Brisinger," he grinds out as grass stings his face, he pictures the wires melting in his mind. Heat courses up his arms and he comes to a sudden stop. Jumping up he brushes off the hot metal, barely registering the pain at this point.

He sees movement from the corner of his eye. Swinging his sword low he feels the splash of warm blood on his face as he slices through Thalf's leg. Thalf falls forward, the shackles he carried crashing to the ground. Using his arms, he claws himself forward, groaning like an animal

Disgusted Murtagh slices the arm that tries touching him at the elbow and kicks the severed limb out of reach. Raising his sword he readies to deliver the final blow when sharp pain explodes from the back of his skull. He falls forward onto Thalf's bloody torso. Struggling to his feet he sees Eesha grinning at him.

Behind her, Murtagh spots Alex, who sits up clearly confused.

Murtagh draws his dagger and throws it at the witch's distract her and keep her eyes off Alex. It bounces off Eesha's wards but Murtagh uses that split second to tackle her to the ground.

He pins her beneath him and punches her, going for the nose. It breaks with one hit, but Eesha kicks him off her. Despite her thin frail looking frame, she's quite strong and as she jumps to her feet, Murtagh recalls she's also quite agile. Blood pours down her face, and she laughs at him. He tries to tackle her but a white mist hits him in the eye.

It scorches his eyes and everything goes white.

"Oh, dammit!" Alex cries out.

Now blind and desperate, Murtagh reaches out in the direction he heard Alex's voice coming from. His hand wraps around her bare arm and he yanks her close. She cries out in protest but he concentrates on the spell that will either save them or kill him.

He mutters the spell under his breath, pressing his left palm to the flammable dry grass. Heat surrounds him and he pulls Alex against his chest. He hears Eesha screaming and he wills the fire to grow bigger and faster. Smoke fills his lungs and the last thing he hears is Alex whimpering.

He wakes with a jolt, his eyes flash open which he immediately regrets it as a thousand daggers pierce his skull. Shutting them and Murtagh feels himself lying down on something soft.

Soft footsteps head towards him, he groans as they get closer. Murtagh tries to move away from them, but his body is so sore he can barely move. Something soft and warm touches his forehead and he jerks away from it.

"It's okay," Alex says and he opens his eyes, blinking to bring her into focus. Her brows are furrowed as she examines his face, "You're okay, everything's fine." He can barely feel her touch and he remembers the wounds on his face.

Murtagh shoves her hand aside and rushes to his feet. The world tilts and he feels like he's made of lead. Alex grabs his arm to steady him. He tries brushes her off, but he's so weak he can't.

He manages to look around, expecting to be in a dungeon with Eesha waiting to pounce.

Instead, he finds himself inside a small room with plain walls, a table, and two chairs sitting next to a small window. Turning around, he realizes that he was lying on a bed in a warm room, not the cold wet dungeon he expected. Alex's strange blanket lies in a pile at the foot of the bed. Wood crackles and snaps in the fireplace, heating the room and making it seem almost, cozy.

"Where is she?" he coughs, his voice hoarse. Alex leaves his side suddenly and Murtagh has to grab the post of the bed to keep from falling over. His head leans forward and he tries to make the world stop spinning.

She returns with a cup of cool water. Alex helps him drink, he almost chokes on it and she gentle taps him on the back when he does. Murtagh sways as his head spins and pain radiates down his back.

"She left for a minute," Alex says, answering his earlier question. She frowns at him and Murtagh wonders why she's mad. She's not the one who's practically an invalid. "She'll be back any second; now sit down."

Alex practically shoves him into the bed and he groans. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Where are we?" he moans, his whole body feels like it was trampled by a horse.

"Not entirely sure, but-" The door to the room slams open and someone who is clearly not Eesha stands there.

"Finally, he's awake."

A woman walks in, carrying a tray of food. Alex runs over and takes it from her. The woman wears a black dress that's far too big for her but appears to have been stitched together in an attempt to make it work. Bits of fabric are bunched together at the bodice, especially the hips. Several folds of fabric lie on top of each other, held together with white thread.

Despite all the extra fabric that encircles the woman's waist, her dress barely falls past her knees. Exposing several inches of dark red stockings and shoes that look like they are one step from falling apart.

The woman herself was odd looking. She has sun spots on her neck and chest that end neatly at her jaw. Her face was oval shaped with large protruding eyes that held a certain wildness, but also a great deal of discipline. Black hair pulled into a messy bun that lay lopsided on her head completed her strange look.

She smiles at him, walking over to the bed which is when Murtagh realizes she's probably almost as tall as him. The woman's smile is not a friendly one, but rather one of keen interest. Like how a cat watches a mouse and ponders the many ways in which to kill it.

Murtagh hates that he's on his back as the woman looks down at him. He also notices that the woman has the feel of a warrior, though she has no weapon.

"Who are you?" he asks, his voice still raw. The woman looks him over, her gaze suddenly relaxed. Almost casual. She pauses on his face, her eyes gaining a dark gleam.

"You're rude," she observes, her voice calloused. Turning around she joins Alex, who's seated at the table. Alex smiles at the woman and passes her a slice of bread.

"Who are you?" he asks again, irritated with the strange woman.

"I'm so glad you found some potatoes. I was so sick of meat," Alex tells the woman.

"Where are we?" Murtagh calls from the bed, biting back a groan as he pulls himself up. His arm burns and his head feels like several dwarves have taken to hammering his skull.

"Humans are far too obsessed with eating dead animals," the woman agrees, as Alex dunks her bread into the bowl of soup.

"Will someone tell me exactly what's going on?" Murtagh demands, annoyed with the situation. Alex rolls her eyes at the woman and points at him with a soggy piece of bread.

"See what I mean, super bossy," her voice is garbled from the food in her mouth.

"In his defense, this is all pretty confusing," the woman points out. She shoves the last bit of bread into her mouth.

"Yeah, but he also let that bitch kill me." Alex snaps, glaring at him while shoving bread in her mouth. She rubs her neck where a thin scar sits. Her stuffed cheeks make her look like an angry chipmunk, but Murtagh decides not to remark on it.

"I didn't let her," he says instead.

 _She's obviously still alive._

"Well, I didn't see you doing much to save me." Alex counters, angrily shoving soup into her mouth.

"I saved us." Murtagh points out.

"By serving me up on a silver platter."

"You didn't do much to help out. Other then blinding me with," Murtagh rubs his eyes, absently, "what the hell did you spray me with?"

Alex squares her shoulders and lifts her chin with a slight huff.

"It's called mace and it was meant for her."

"That wasn't a mace if it was you would've smashed my face in." he snaps.

"Not that kind of mace. Dumb-ass." Alex huffs, pushing her chair back.

"Well, you have terrible aim." he sneers at her.

"At least I didn't nearly kill us with that idiotic stunt." she glares at him. "I was nearly roasted alive, while you passed out like a pussy."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You probably had a much better plan." he snaps at her. "What would you have done, huh? Sing her to death?" Murtagh demands.

Alex glares at him and her face turns a deep crimson.

"I was trying to help." she shouts.

"Well next time don't."

"You'd still be Eesha's bitch if it wasn't for me." she informs him, haughtily.

"I would've found a way to escape." he snaps.

"Ha, sure you would've. After torturing Nasuada."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asks, thrown off by her words.

Alex's eyes widen and she suddenly can't look at him. "Nothing," she mutters.

"No, you said something about Nasuada. What do you know about her?" he asks firmly.

Alex grabs her chair and sits back down. "Forget I said anything," she mutters, twisting her spoon in her hand.

"What aren't you telling me?" Murtagh asks, but she just ignores him while poking at her soup.

 _This girl goes from worried, to pissed off, to totally ignoring me._

Rubbing her hands, Murtagh leaves Alex to her weirdness. He looks over at the strange woman who had finished her food while they were bickering. She was what he needs to focus on.

"So who are you exactly?" he asks.

"I'm only here because of a promise I made to your mother." the woman tells him.

"You knew my mother?" Murtagh perks up, all thoughts of Alex fly out of his head.

"That's what I just said," the woman says patronizingly. "You should rest now, once you're-"

"No, I need the truth," Murtagh demands, glaring at her. There's no way she can dangle something like that and then expect him to lie down and rest. "Now." Alex looks up from her bowl, but Murtagh ignores her.

"You've clearly inherited your father's temper as well as his looks," the woman frowns at him. "Fine." she concedes. "But before we launch into that, you need to eat."

Standing up, she gestures to the chair she previously occupied.

Murtagh pulls himself out of bed. He stumbles at first and Alex almost stands up. Their eyes lock and he sees her hesitation. Narrowing his eyes he takes a step forward. She looks away and he manages to walk over to the table. But he sees the concern in Alex's eyes even as she watches him from over the rim of her bowl.

Crossing his arms, Murtagh sits down across from her. Alex doesn't look up from her food but slides a bowl of soup over to him which he ignores. The strange woman walks over to the window before starting her story.

"How I met Selena is a story for another time," she begins, staring out of the window she continues. "All you need to know is that your mother was adamant to find a way to kill the king. She thought the answer was in another world. One she thought Galbatorix himself knew how to access."

"And you believed her?" he asks, the idea was still pretty skeptical for him to accept and he's trying to get there.

The woman turns around and glares at him. She doesn't seem to like being interrupted.

"It was possible, unlikely, but possible." She leans against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now stop interrupting." She narrows her eyes at him, daring him to speak. "Your mother wanted to travel to this other world. Find Galbatorix's weakness and destroy him. But she didn't want to leave you alone."

"So you got a fairy godmother," Alex mutters. Murtagh looks at her, but she just stirs her soup. "Not that I care," she says looking up just long enough to flash him an insincere smile.

"A what?" he asks, not certain if he heard Alex right.

"I'm not a fairy." the woman corrects her.

"Well what are you then?" he purposefully directs the question to the woman.

"What do you think I am, rider?" she asks, tilting her head, seemingly amused by the situation.

"How should I know?"

"She's an elf, dumbass," Alex mutters, sighing as she plays with her food.

Murtagh tries to process this.

 _Did mother leave an elf to watch over me?_

He observes the woman much closer, looking for pointed ears. The only elf he's ever seen was the one Eragon was obsessed with, Arya. But the woman who crosses the room and glares at him looked nothing like her. Arya was beautiful, her strange catlike features only made her more alluring. She was poised and graceful.

He watches as the supposed elf burps while leaning back against the window sill. Her head bobs forward, reminding him of a chicken.

Definitely not like Arya. He concludes. The other elf was everything he imagined elves to be like. Though it's not mandatory for all elves to be as graceful and beautiful I suppose.

Murtagh sighs and saves his questions for later. Content, the woman—elf—turns to Murtagh. "She asked me to watch over to you until she returned."

"Selena asked me to watch you, keep you from dying. Things like that," she says casually. chef

"This isn't my normal appearance," she states calmly. Murtagh had heard tales about how elves could change their appearances as easily as they change clothes.

 _Guess the_ rumors _are right for once._

Murtagh wonders how they could do that and plans he'll be able to learn one day. Changing his face could come in handy. Especially since he had become quite infamous lately.

"Well, you suck at your job," Murtagh says. "My own father nearly killed me."

"Who do you think healed you?" The elf looks at him, her face guarded. "Didn't you wonder how a four-year-old child survived getting nearly hacked in half?" she narrows her eyes. "How you suffered no consequences from that night besides the scar on your back."

Murtagh's mind races as he remembers that night.

A storm was howling outside the castle, lightning flashed across his room, frightening him. Mother was gone, on another mission. It had been two months since he saw her. He now knew it was because she was pregnant.

 _With Eragon._

Murtagh thinks about the last time he saw his father. Remembers how he looked down at him, tears rolling down his normally stoic face.

Blinking, Murtagh shoves his memories to the back of his mind as well as the mixture of emotions that came with it.

"What do you want?" he asks, his voice thick with emotion. His eyes itch and he resists the urge to scratch them.

He feels a strange presence brush against his mind. Murtagh keeps a firm grasp on the stone wall he uses to keep others out of his mind. All elves use magic and he didn't want anyone peering inside him. He's had enough of that to last a lifetime.

"To find Selena," the elf replies.

Alex burps and Murtagh growls at her bad timing. She just shrugs him, pushing her empty bowl away from her.

"So you're gonna tag along?" he asks.

"I'm going to keep that witch from killing you," the elf says, her tone confident as she leans against the foot of the bed. "She may have escaped earlier, but her wounds will take some time to heal. Hopefully, we'll be in Helgrind by then."

"So you didn't kill her," he says, trying to get a straight answer out of her.

"Neither did you," the elf says, as she narrows her eyes at him.

Murtagh matches her glare and he wishes he had the strength to stand up to her.

Alex glances between the two of them and laughs in an attempt to break the tension, but it falls flat.

"So that's where we're going," she says. "Sir Paranoia over there wouldn't tell me." her tone coated with forced casualness.

The elf gives him a warning glare before turning to Alex. She uncrosses her arms and her eyes are less hostile.

"Yes, Thorn's being kept there. I'm surprised Eesha didn't head straight there," the elf says, standing up. "Though her stupidity should be expected. The woman is very stubborn, but not too bright."

"I couldn't tell, but she seems like a bitch," Alex says confidently, munching on the last of her bread.

"That is an appropriate name for her," the elf agrees. "But I'm confident she won't survive our next encounter."

"Who even said you could come?" Murtagh asks, trying to redirect the conversation.

"Totally, I saw how you handled her. It was impressive," Alex gushes at her and Murtagh resists the urge to roll his eyes.

"I wasn't at my full strength if I was the witch would be dead," the elf says confidently.

The two continue to talk, blatantly ignoring Murtagh.

"I always wanted to learn how to fight with two sai, like Raphael," Alex tells her, crumbs sticking around her mouth. "My dad was going to teach me some basic self-defense moves."

He tries to calm himself, stirring the bowl of soup that Alex gave him. As the two continue talking, his irritation grows.

"Learning how to defend yourself is a worthwhile skill" the elf assures her. "But who's Raphael?"

"I don't think I got your name," Murtagh says, trying to force himself into the conversation.

"He's a ninja turtle," Alex explains. The elf frowns and tilts her head.

"How can a turtle fight? Is ninja a type of warrior?" the elf asks.

"Yeah, from Japan and they are awesome."

"Is Japan a country of warriors?" Apparently, elves also can be rude and irritating.

"Is everyone ignoring me now?" he demands.

The two turn and look at him. Alex looks at the uneaten bowl of food and frowns.

"I didn't give it to you," the elf says casually. Alex pushes a piece of bread towards him.

"You need to eat," she reminds him.

"So you're talking to me now?" he asks her.

"No, but I'm not gonna let you kill yourself because you're too stubborn to eat."

"I'm fine," he turns to the elf. "Why should I trust you if you won't even give me your name?"

"I never said I wouldn't give my name," the elf sighs. "Typical human."

"Well? What is it then?" Murtagh narrows his eyes at her.

"I have many names."

"Enough games, if you want to find my mother then you play by my rules." he threatens. The elf laughs in his face.

"You think you can stop me rider?" she challenges.

"I _know_ that Alex is the only one with the spell to take us to her world."

The elf narrows her eyes. "Miryi, daughter of Dellanir," she says proudly, puffing out her chest.

"Was that so hard?" he smirks.

"Few humans know my name, so treat it with respect, Rider," Miryi warns, her face fierce.

"Well, Miryi, why don't you tell me where we are?" Murtagh asks, his face just as fierce. Alex watches the two quietly, her chin resting in the palm of her hand.

"A town near Leona Lake," Miryi says curtly, her glare intense. Alex turns her large eyes to Miryi.

"Can you heal him now? He really needs it," she asks, concern in her eye as she looks at him. Her pity twists in his stomach and he turns to Alex.

"She won't," he answers. Alex cocks her head to the side.

"Why not? She said as soon as you wake up you'll be healed." Alex glares at the elf. "So heal him."

"I said he could be healed, not that I'd do it." Miryi answers coolly.

"Why the hell not? You said you're here to help." Alex demands.

"Because she can't heal me," Murtagh tells her.

"I feel like I'm out of the loop." she says annoyed.

"Magic doesn't affect me," he explains. "Well it doesn't affect us." he amends.

"Haha, you healed my neck though and I don't think our food's been magically heating itself up." she frowns. "Wait, bad choice of words. You know what I mean!"

Murtagh sighs and rubs his head. "Didn't my mother explain the spell to you?"

Alex's gets shifty and doesn't look him in the eye. "I don't remember what she said exactly."

He shakes his head and questions Alex's intelligence.

"Basically the spell binds protects my mind from magic by using yours as a shield. Magic doesn't work on you which is why I was able to break the oaths put on me by Galbatorix." Murtagh explains. Alex opens her mouth but he cuts her off. "Magic cast by others don't affect you. Eesha proved that."

"Wait, so when you told the witch to kill me. You were guessing that it wouldn't work?" her voice quiet and controlled.

 _I guess she doesn't like her life being wagered on a hunch._

His conscious reminds him, but he shoves that part of himself to the back of his head and meets Alex's angry glare with a calm face.

"It was more than guessing. I was playing Eesha. Baited her. You wouldn't have died."

 _Probably._

He tells himself.

"You don't use someone as bait like that. That's just wrong!" she shouts. "It's not what friends do."

"Who ever said we were friends?" he snaps at her.

Alex glowers at him, crossing her arms over her chest in a huff.

"I forgot, you don't have friends."

"I have friends." he says defensively.

"Name one." she challenges. "And your dragon doesn't count."

"I don't answer to you." he retorts.

Alex laughs at him. "You argue just like Selena. Badly"

Murtagh scowls at her. "I don't have time for this." and turns around. He's determined to talk to Miryi about his mother. But the elf is gone.

 _She left!_

"How long was I out?" he asks Alex, ignoring the throbbing in his head.

"Nearly four days," Alex mutters.

Murtagh watches her for a moment. Her elbows are propped on the table and he remembers what she had endured. Kicking himself he tries a different tactic

"That soup does smell amazing," he tells her softly.

Alex's looks up at him and he does his best to smile, but she just sighs and stares into the distance. Frowning, he sits down at the table. Perhaps scraping the chair a little too forcefully across the floor.

Taking the bowl she had earlier given him, he watches her as he eats. If she knows he's staring she doesn't say anything and he notices for the first time that Alex is out of her "American" clothes. She wears a chestnut colored dress with long sleeves that hide the bruises that must still be healing on her arms.

 _I wonder if they're sore._

A scarlet handkerchief hides her curls, though a few unruly locks spring free and frame her face.

"You changed," he says simply.

"You finally noticed," she mutters, changing from staring blankly at the wall to staring blankly at the table.

"It looks good." he attempts to compliment her.

Alex tilts her head and turns to look at him and Murtagh freezes at the stark difference in her gaze. Her eyes are empty and dejected, lacking their normal giddiness and light. She looks worse then when he killed that man in the butcher's shop. He notices the dark circles around her eyes and wonders if she's been having trouble sleeping.

 _She saw me kill those men and now is mad about it. The foolish girl doesn't understand the necessity of it._

He's about to ask her to confirm his assumption when his eye is drawn to a necklace that sits right above her breasts. It's a simple black stone larger than a pearl, set in a silver chain. There isn't anything particularly glamorous or even pretty about it, but something about it turns Murtagh's stomach.

 _Has she always had that?_

"You really like staring don't you?" she asks weakly. As if all her strength has left her.

Forcing his gaze upwards he sees a somewhat more engaged Alex raising her eyebrows at him.

"No, I wasn't staring at-" he starts realizing how she might have misinterpreted his gaze.

"I know, don't wet yourself," Alex says with an almost bored tone. She reaches down and plucks the necklace from her chest. Holding it up, she lets the light dance off its smooth surface.

"What is it?" Murtagh whispers though he's not sure why. This Alex is strange. Stranger than the one he's been travelling with. Even after he first killed in front of her she didn't act this strange.

 _Does the elf have something to do with this?_

"Why do you care?" Alex asks bluntly. She shoves the stone inside her dress, hiding it from him.

"I"ve never seen you with it before," he says as an excuse for his curiosity. Alex sighs heavily, leaning her head on her hand.

"Well, you don't exactly pay me much attention." Her voice is muffled from her fingers that cross over her mouth. "Not that I'm complaining," she assures him.

He continues to eat in silence, his thoughts focused on Thorn. But his mind keeps drifting back to what Miryi said. If his mother left him voluntarily, what does that mean?

 _Did she think_ killing _Galbatorix more important_ then _her own son? Sons, she didn't just abandon you._

Murtagh thinks about his brother and a swirl of mixed emotions cloud his head. He didn't know what to think about his family anymore. Mother alive and chose to leave him. The brother he never knew he had is his enemy because of what Galbatorix made him do. Murtagh didn't assume that his brother would welcome him with open arms.

He doesn't even know what Eragon thinks of having a brother. He had considered them friends before the Twins had handed him over to Galbatorix. During the time they travelled together Murtagh grew to care for Eragon. He was very young and idealistic, but he had a decent head on his shoulders and Murtagh could depend on him.

Pushing back his empty bowl, Murtagh stumbles to his feet. His feet feel wooden and his legs ache, but he needs to get some air. Alex looks up at his commotion and watches him as he hobbles towards her pack that sits at the foot of the bed. Leaning against the bedpost, he digs through it until he finds his dagger. Strapping it to his belt, Murtagh leaves the room. Alex doesn't ask him where he's going and he doesn't bother telling her. They were merely strangers after all. He didn't owe her an explanation.

As he stumbles down the dimly lit hall the feeling in his legs start to return. By the time he reaches the top of a narrow staircase, he's able to walk with only a slight pause to attest to his ordeals.

The stairs lead to a tavern, though from the few patrons that sit around the room, Murtagh assumes it's getting late. Whoever else who are staying the night in this flea ridden inn must have retired. He earns a few disinterested glances as he heads to the door, but no one gives him much mind.

He rubs the coarse fabric of his shirt. A shirt Alex probably changed him into. He shakes off the discomfort of her seeing him naked. His simple clothes make it easier to fit in. His older clothes were far too fine and it earned him a few curious glances at the town where he'd gotten the horse.

As he breathes in the fresh open air and his mind clears immediately. Stepping into the muddy street, Murtagh sighs. Most have tucked in for the night, light shines from a few windows giving him more than enough to see by.

He walks and tries to process what the elf said. His head spins as he tries to discover exactly how he feels about what his mother supposedly did. The elf didn't necessarily have the whole story. Growing up in court taught him never to take one person's account at face value. Always gather information from multiple sources. That was the best way to discover the truth.

But the only other person who might know his mother's intentions is Alex. Sighing, he pushes her out of his head. The girl may have helped him, but she was a constant nuisance. She also was a chatterbox. The girl talked nonstop whenever she had the chance. Though most of what she said might as well have been in another language.

 _She still is the only person you can ask._

Murtagh reminds himself. Grunting, he kicks at the ground resolving to talk to Alex after he gets back. Right now he needs some time alone.

 _What did she mean about Nasuada?_

Murtagh ponders as he heads further away from the inn. Just as he starts to relax he feels a stabbing pain in his chest. He ignores it at first, but as he continues walking it becomes a dull throbbing and suddenly his entire body is on fire. Murtagh falls to the ground as every nerve ending is scorched. Grinding his teeth against the pain, he recognizes the shape of someone standing over him as he blacks out.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, but this chapter is twice as long as any I've written before. Hopefully, that makes up for having to wait.

Also, I'm looking for betas for this series. Nearly all my betas fell off the face of the earth. Future chapters will probably be as long, if not longer then this one.

Thanks to the betas who stayed with me and thanks to you for reading my silly little fanfiction.

Stay awesome!

Updated 08/04/2017

I recently noticed that when I copy and paste my chapters over from Google Docs, which is where I write, not all the spacing and italicized words copy over. I'm currently going through my past chapters and will fix whatever typos I find.


	6. Chapter 5: Bond

Chapter 5 : Bonds

 _Stupid, ungrateful, fucking_ \- Alex pounds her fist into the table, knocking over the half burnt candle. The flame gets snuffed out, leaving a wisp of smoke that drifts lazily upwards. Alex wriggles her nose against the foul smell. Reminding her of the fire the Murtagh used to scare off Eesha. _Fine it worked, but it also nearly killed us._ She thinks bitterly, stacking the bowls, using a little more force than necessary. _Do I get a 'thank you' for dragging his sorry ass here? How about cleaning his wounds? His disgusting bloody-_ she slams the spoons into the bowls. A small crack forms in the bottom of the clay dish. Alex pulls off the handkerchief that holds back her hair, and tosses it on the floor.

Running her hands through the flattened curls, she tries pushing past her frustration. Panic wells in her chest, making it hard to breath. This whole thing has spun way out of control. Nothing's gone to plan. The entire mess is getting worse by the day and nursing a nearly dead Murtagh back to life was not part of the deal. _Luckily, I brought all that peroxide._ Sighing, she tries to work through the wave of emotions that hovers over her head, just waiting to crash down. Sweat beads on the tip of her nose as she attempts to push them away. Now isn't the time for a break down. She doesn't have the time or energy to deal with it. So all thoughts of Murtagh slaughtering those soldiers are going to be locked firmly away. Her first life or death situation that resulted in various scars and bruises that are still in the process of healing.

With trembling fingers, Alex brushes the thin line that wraps around her neck. The wound barely broke her skin. Just enough to draw blood. It was almost healed. Not that it was surprising, Alex has always had healed faster then most. It was already a dark red scab, soon it will be nothing but a scar. Proof of her adventures here. Not that anyone would believe her.

Standing up Alex fixes the knocked over candle, she shoves it back in it's crude metal stand. A bit of wax is left in her hand, sticking to her fingers. She turns to borrow some kindling from the fire to light the candle. A thought crosses her mind and she pauses. Turning to face the candle, she stares at it's unlit wick. It's been a while since she's tried. The last spell she cast was the one that brought her here. Alex hasn't dared using magic since. Explaining it to Murtagh would be enough of a pain and there was no real need to use the few spells Selena tried to teach her. Didn't help much when those soldiers attacked her. She couldn't seem to summon it then. Not when her own life was in danger. _Maybe now…_ Alex glances over her shoulder. Murtagh could be back any minute, but for now she couldn't hear anything from the hallway. Looking back to the candle she reaches inside, searching for the well of magic. It takes a while for her to find it. It likes to hide, sometimes Alex feels like it's almost alive. Another being inside her mind that doesn't like to be found.

She finally spots it, the blue sparkly pool of magic deep within her subconscious. Alex can already feel the exhaustion from simply locating it. She wonders if casting a spell is the best idea given her current state. Uncertainty stops her from saying the word needed to light the candle. She knew the spell. It was the simplest one. Alex almost retreated when she was reminded of what Selena told her. It was the first time she tried explaining magic.

 _"Magic is inside all of us. It just takes a strong enough person to find it inside them and a stronger person still to use it."_

Biting down on her lip, Alex reaches forward and touches the edges of the glittering water like substance. Focusing on the candle's wick she whispers the words to herself. "Brisinger," A tiny spark of flame bursts over the candle then dies out, leaving an unlit candle behind.

Cursing under her breath, Alex kicks the stool behind her sending it crashing into the floor. Her arm knocks over the two bowls and they fall to the ground, breaking on impact. Muttering curses under her breath Alex bends over to pick up the shattered pieces. She picks up the biggest piece first. It's jagged edge intrigues her and she examines it, dark thoughts crossing her mind.

Alex blinks, and is suddenly disgusted by the broken bowl. She tosses it onto the table and reaches down to grab the other pieces. A sharp pain claws into her eyes. The pain burns, flowing down her neck, scorching her flesh. It lodges itself into her chest and Alex gasps for air that refuses to come. She falls forward, the room spinning before the blackness spreads across her vision. She tries to call out, but the pain is so overwhelming she's not sure if she managed to succeed. Curling in on herself, she feels something warm on her left hand before it all fades away.

Murtagh blinks against the blinding light. The sun feels warm on his skin and he takes a deep breath, enjoying the way it calms him. Turning away from the sun he sees a small hill. The grass is lush and alive, the perfect summer afternoon. A grey smooth path winds it's way down and around it. Something about the path seemed wrong to Murtagh, but he couldn't remember what it was.

Children's laughter fills the air but as he turns towards it something grabs a hold of him. It's cold sharp claws dig into his shoulder and he's thrown forward. Air rushes past him, everything turns grey before it fades into white.

Murtagh gasps, his eyes flash open just to be startled by Miryi's face inches from his. He tries to back up, but he's against a wall and ends up smacking his head.

"Hmph, that must hurt." Miryi mutters just loud enough for him to hear.

It takes a few blinks for the world to come into focus. Looking around him he realizes he's sitting in a small dirty alley with Miryi, the supposed elf standing over him. Disapproval is clear on her face which Murtagh finds annoying. His brain is foggy so it takes him a minute to realize the reason why Miryi seems so tall is because he's sitting on the ground. It takes him a few seconds longer to realize his pants are soaked through with mud and that he's once again stuck trying to get answers from the world's ugliest elf.

"What the hell happened?" He demands. He tries to sound intimidating, but his throat is raw and it comes out as a half whispered rasp.

Miryi gives him an odd look and bends down, squatting in front of him. The light is dim but Murtagh's enhanced senses make it easy enough to pick out her features. Her nose is broken in a few pieces, her dark eyes dull and completely lacking any luster. Despite that, he can sense the strength radiating off her. It's there, concealed, brimming beneath the surface. She cocks her head to the side, studying him. Murtagh feels something brush against his mind. Bristling from the contact Murtagh fortifies his mental defenses. Pushing the elf back he jumps to his feet. "Stay out out of my head," he warns her. Miryi falls back into the mud, making a sploosh as she lands.

Murtagh's head rushes from standing too quickly and he stumbles back into the wall behind him. Miryi glares at him from the ground, her face twisted in a snarl. Pushing himself off the building he closes the gap in between them. He can't show anymore weakness to this creature. Miryi's eyes flash a brilliant emerald and he's thrown back. His back slams against the building, pain shooting across his body. The pain reminding him he's still not fully healed from his last encounter with a sorceress. He bites back a moan, rolling his head to the side to try and hide the pain on his face. Other then his head the rest of his body is completely immobilized. Miryi pulls herself up from the ground, her face eerily calm.

"You forget yourself rider," she says coolly. Her tone almost, casual. Murtagh turns to meet her gaze, Miryi's eyes now a brilliant emerald. They glow in the dim light of the alley. Her eyes are so strange, his stomach twists painfully because of how alien they are. His mind reels as he tries to process them. Miryi suddenly releases him and Murtagh falls to the ground, bruising his rear.

"Where did you get this spell?" The elf asks. Looking up Murtagh sees the letter from his mother, the only thing he has of her crushed in the elf's grip.

"That's not yours," he hisses.

"Where did you get it?" She asks again, waving the parchment in front of him. Murtagh tries to lunge at her, but trips over his own feet. He lands in the slick mud with a splash. Cursing his injuries, he wipes the dirt off his face. Pushing himself up he forces himself to stand, despite the ache throughout his whole body.

"Isn't it obvious?" He mutters, irritated with the whole situation. Wiping the grime off his face.

"Selena couldn't know this kind of magic," Miryi insists. "She must have gotten it from somewhere,"

Murtagh stares at the elf, noticing the emotional tone in her voice. The desperation on her face. He wipes the mud from his eyes and studies her. "It's just a protection spell, what's the big deal?" He asks, sensing this has to do with the deal Miryi made with his mother.

Her eyebrows raise to her head, her shoulders tense. "This is far more then just a protection spell. This spell is older then the Riders of Old. And you cast it at the risk of your life and Alexandria's. Not to mention your dragon." Murtagh struggles to stand, watching the elf as she waves her hands. Her eyes practically blinding him. "What convinced you to do something so reckless?" She raises her hand towards him and Murtagh barely conceals a flinch. Miryi doesn't attack him, instead she clenches her fist. "Casting a spell you don't understand, that you didn't even cast properly." She grinds out through clenched teeth.

Miryi turns to the side, sucking in a shaky breath. Her shoulders are stiff as boards as Murtagh grips the wall, barely holding himself up. "Didn't cast properly- what do you mean?" He asks, putting his weight against the building but keeping his eye on the elf.

Miryi turns towards him and he watches as the blinding green fades to ember. Her cracked lips part and with a quiver in her voice she whispers. "That you and Alex are running on borrowed time,"

It took a while for Murtagh to find his way back to his room and by the time he got there his whole body aches. His limbs are iron and his chest crushed under the weight of the startling news Miryi dumped on him. That's not even touching the fact that his mother made a deal with an elf who clearly isn't keeping her side. Leaning his back against the door, he tries to process everything that's happened since he woke up earlier that night. If Miryi is telling the truth…

 _What have I done?_ He bangs his head back against the smooth wood, the sound echoing through the long hallway. He tries to focus on the ceiling, tracing the lines in the wooden beams. Ever since he met Alex, he's been reckless. This whole trip was a mistake. He never should've listened to the girl. Never should've risked Thorn's life. Now he could die before he even sees him again. Tears prick at the corner of his eyes, but he blinks them away. Tears never change anything. He has to be strong. Thorn needs him to be strong. Murtagh would do anything for him. He has done everything and it's still not enough.

The question now is whether he throws himself at Galbatorix's mercy or to continue on with a one in a million chance that could mean freedom. Murtagh wishes he could talk to Thorn. He could help him figure out what to do. The little guy doesn't talk much, but his presence alone is comforting. Murtagh could use a little of that right now. Then there's Alex.

If he goes back to the king she's dead. There's no doubting that. He would find a way to break their bond and then the girl would be subject to a horrific death. Murtagh recalls some of the executions the king has sentenced. The people he has do it for him. People like Eesha. Those who enjoy torture and inflicting pain on others. Alex may be chatty, but does that merit death? And not just death, but at the hands of Galbatorix's puppets. He flinches against the thought. He didn't relish the idea of her blood on his hands, but if it saved Thorn…

Grunting, Murtagh slams his fist into the door. Why was he always given impossible choices? The wood splinters, giving easily under his strength. Feeling a little better he pulls his hand free from the hole, grimacing as he notices blood trickling down his hand. Cursing, he brushes the splinters off his sleeve. The thick smell of blood fills his nose and Murtagh checks to make sure his wounds aren't more serious then he originally thought. Other then a minor cut on his knuckles, his hand is fine. That's when he realizes that the smell is coming from the hole punched through the door.

Slamming the door open he sucks in a breath when he sees Alex. Her chest is barely moving and blood is smeared across part of the floor. She tried crawling from the table, where the blood starts towards the bed. But she fell short by a few feet, her left arm reaches out to it still.

Murtagh rushes to her side, falling to the ground next to her. Turning her on her back, he searches for the source of blood. Bright crimson stains the front of her bodice, dying it a near purple. Alex makes no sound or movement, even when Murtagh pulls back her right arm, exposing a nasty gash. He glances at her face, the serenity makes her appear dead and that thought twists his gut. Inhaling sharply, he accesses the wound. Holding her arm in his hand, Murtagh gently touches the area around the cut. A tiny bit of blood seeps from her, but Murtagh's relieved that it's not as bad as it looks.

Standing up, he quickly closes the door, having someone find them like this would just cause more problems. Murtagh takes a deep breath before walking back to Alex. Kneeling next to her, he rips the bottom of his shirt. Taking the long piece of fabric, he wraps it tightly above Alex's elbow to stop anymore blood loss. His work isn't the best, but it helps. That done, he scoops Alex into his arms. He's very gentle, taking care to keep her injured arm tucked against him. His body protests carrying the extra weight, but he pushes through it. His knees start to buckle by the time he reaches the bed. It's not even a long way but he already feels tired. Placing Alex on the bed, he jostles her more then he meant to. Her face twists in pain, her mouth open in a hitched moan. Murtagh's chest shakes from the action so he takes a minute to catch his breath. Watching the girl on the bed, Murtagh questions if he'd be able to betray her. She's just a stranger. He tries to tell himself, but that reasoning doesn't sit right in his stomach.

Pushing that aside, he focuses on the wound. His legs are so shaky he has to kneel beside the bed.his eyes are hazy, but he blinks it away. Laying his left hand over the cut warm blood coats his hand and he closes his eyes in concentration. It takes him a minute to find his magic, he grasps it as tightly as he can. Just holding onto it strains him and he grinds out the words. " Waise grill," he feels the energy drain from him. His mind clearly focusing on Alex's skin fusing together. He barely manages to release the spell before slipping into the void.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Sorry it's taken me so long to post this. I was busy with a move and then all my betas were too busy to help edit. So it's taken a while and a lot of redrafting, but chapter 5 is finally here. For those of you who are interested in beta reading for me, pm me. I could use help and it would help get chapters out faster.

Thanks for reading, please review it really makes my week.


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